Fourth Sunday of Lent

Mercy and Compassion. This was the theme of the recent apostolic visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines. With his visit especially to meet the victims of super-typhoon Yolanda in East Visayas, the Holy Father exemplified God’s love and care for all of us especially to the afflicted, and to those who are in most need of assistance and support.

In our liturgical readings today, the fourth Sunday of Lent, we are once more reminded of how tremendous this love of God for us is. In the Gospel reading, John the evangelist narrates how Jesus told Nicodemus that God loved the world that he sent only begotten Son. God reached out of us through Jesus. Saint Paul reminds us of this astounding reality of God’s love: “God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ.”(Ephesians 2:4)

In the Eucharist, we encounter Jesus who is present in the word and in the partaking of his body and blood. He offers himself as the way to the Father. Each time we participate in the Eucharist, God renews his invitation to a life-giving relationship with him. Let us choose to be united with God. Let us allow ourselves to be led by Jesus Christ by listening to his word which is the “lamp unto our feet and light unto our path” (Psalm 119:105)

In this season of lent, which is a preparation for Easter, let us have a renewed appreciation of the Eucharist as a celebration of God’s mercy and compassion. Too often we have only regarded it as an obligation to go to Mass and we do so, at times, begrudgingly. The Eucharist is a sacrament of love where God and humanity is reconciled and renews their bond of friendship. It is a loving encounter between God and man in and through Jesus Christ.