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Fourth Sunday in Lent - B - March 15, 2014
For God So Loved the World...
The encounter Jesus had with Nicodemus has become memorable just because of that one line we find in John 3:16. Yet, there was so much more to Jesus’ teaching than that phrase. The Father gave the world his only Son, to save the world through the death and resurrection of his Son. In the Son, we can live in the light, for we will know we are truly forgiven by God.
MP3 PODCAST In this week’s audio podcast, we discuss spiritual sight. Do we see the grace of God in our lives? Or does skepticism get in our way?
FIRST READING In 2 Chronicles, the author painted the destruction and restoration of Jerusalem. The author blamed the religious and civil leaders for the downfall of the nation, but put the salvation of the nation in the hands of a foreign king. Such would be the way of God.
PSALM Psalm 137 was a lament song for the loss of the nation. The depression of the captives in Babylon was at the point of depression. Little did the mourners know; salvation was just around the corner.
SECOND READING In a short segment from his letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul gave us a glimpse of the power we can find “in Christ.”
GOSPEL The third chapter of John’s gospel introduced the figure of Nicodemus, the Pharisee who would learn the only way to recognize the Messiah was to see him “raised up” like Moses raised up the bronze serpent in the Exodus.
CHILDREN’S READINGS In the story for the first reading, St. Paul did not understand the power of God’s gift until he experienced it in Jesus. In the story for the gospel, Janice and Sylvia went to the mall to window shop. Two teens who might be friends parted ways over a stolen bracelet. Janice did not want to live in the dark, like Sylvia. She wanted to live in the light, like Jesus told Nicodemus.
CATECHISM LINK In this week’s Catechism Link, we discuss our faith in the Church and its four marks.
FAMILY ACTIVITY Have your family create sports signs with a religious meaning, just like the famous “John 3:16" poster.
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