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4TH SUNDAY OF LENT B

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THAT CONSISTENT LOVE

A friend visited me the other day to share her struggles in her relationship with her eldest son. She expected this son to finish college after this semester and her husband who works overseas has been boasting to his co-workers that soon, he will have his first college graduate. But in a surprised admission, the son finally revealed that he cannot graduate until he fulfills many course requirements he failed to take in the past years. This woman was struggling with anger, frustration, and sadness. Surprisingly, however, she is still full of concern, forgiveness, and support for her son until he finally reaches graduation.

As we continue our spiritual walk through Lent with the help of the readings from the Old Testament, the first reading of every Sunday, we now come to 2 Chronicles 36. The sacred writer describes how much the Lord loves his people. And to this love, the people reciprocated with infidelity and indifference. This caused God’s heartbreak and anger. The people felt its effect in the loss of their beloved Temple and in the sufferings that came to them in their captivity to foreign colonizers.

As God is God, his anger will never overcome his beating heart. 2 Chronicles ends with a surprising promise, a note of hope, and hint of restoration and new life. A benevolent king will come, the Temple will be rebuilt, and the people will once again set foot in their native land.

Sometimes people complain that in their experiences, God seems to be oppressive, harsh and unkind. Is God the cause of our sufferings, or did we throw ourselves down the pit because we did not listen to his voice? Even in the moments when God chastised his people, wasn’t he in fact acting like a responsible parent who knew how to give discipline to his children? God’s discipline is a fruit of his love.

What pains do we endure in our lives today? If we see the hand of the Lord in this, let us thank him for correcting us and reforming our lives through life’s lessons. It is so much better to fall into God’s hands than into the hands of our enemies. God is indeed more merciful, loving and forgiving.

And if we cannot find any reason for our pains, let us still continue to trust that in the end, the love of God will prevail. “This too, will pass,” we assure ourselves when we are in trouble. It is good to console ourselves that whatever happens, there is one who will never abandon us because he does not want us to perish, but through his Son, he wants us “to have eternal life.” (Jn 3:16). In the hands of a loving Father, every pain, every trouble, will indeed pass away…

(dedicated to my godson, JJ… thanks for reading!)