1st Reading 2 Chronilces 36: 14-16, 19-23
Psalm 137:1-2. 3. 4-5. 6 (R. 6ab)
2nd Reading Ephesians 2: 4-10
Gospel John 3:14-21
FINDING HOPE IN EXILE
We have arrived at a very significant part in our journey through Lent. Today is the 4th Sunday of Lent, popularly called LAETARE SUNDAY, because this Sunday calls us to Rejoice as indicated in the Entrance Antiphon taken from Isaiah 66: 10-11. We are rejoicing because "we are almost there." Our sorrow and penitence (violet) are met with the hope of redemption (white). It is the mixture of this violet and a little white (the glimpse of Easter joys) that we have the Rose colour for this Sunday. Today, we reassure ourselves that all is not lost, and the Word of God gives us this assurance when the 1st Reading ends by saying "LET HIM GO UP" (2 Chronicles 36:23).
Let us look at our first reading (2 Chronicles 36: 14-16, 19-23) and observe a few things about it to help us reflect. It contains elements of rejoicing.
Let us start by observing that we are reading from the last chapter of the book of Chronicles, thus chapter 36, and what it talks about is historically placed between the years 609-586 BC. It talks about the last Kings of Judah (the Southern Kingdom of the Divided Israel). It mentions kings like Johoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah. What is similar about these kings is that each in different ways "did what was evil in the Lord's sight" (2 Chr. 36: 5, 9, 12). The Hebrew word for EVIL is RA' (רע). This word can be translated as BAD. It has the meaning of "SIN" because the evil is against God, and since it involves human actions, it is MORAL EVIL. Hence, the kings sinned, offended God, or committed a Morally evil act(s).
The first reading tells us that it is not only the Kings who "did what was evil in the Lord's sight" but also "all the princes of Judah, the Priests, the people" (2 Chr. 36:14). We can see that Politically, with the mention of princes and kings, there was a problem; religiously and in relation to the Temple, with the mention of Priests, there was also a problem; socially, with the mention of the people, there was a problem. The conclusion is that in every sphere of their lives, the people of Judah offended God. But, what did they do?
They added treachery to treachery, practiced all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the Lord's house which he had consecrated in Jerusalem (2 Chr. 36: 15).
By saying that they added treachery to treachery (sin to sin and became more unfaithful), means that they were not conscious of sin and had no remorse even if they were conscious. They decided to do what they wanted to do. In fact, they practiced all the abominations of the nations (GOYIM). These are nations they considered as bad and evil. They walked in their ways, their culture, their life, and teachings to the detriment of their own sacred laws which God gave them. As if that was not enough, they defiled the Lord's House (the Temple). We can now imagine that the priests lost focus and purpose. They could not protect the Temple and did not live up to expectation. Naturally, since the leadership of the Priesthood has failed, the people will follow in whatever steps they tell them. Therefore, they sinned and transgressed.
Despite all these, God sent messengers to them to help them realise their state and return to him, a kind of Lenten journey. Why would God do this when he saw that the people insulted his majesty and offended him? He could have just destroyed them. He did it because of COMPASSION (RECHEM). "Rechem" describes the Mother's womb. With this quality of God, he wants to bring them back to new life. Interestingly, they despised the prophets and messengers. For us, they rejected the compassion and love of God. Since they did this, they were taken to Exile in Babylon in 586 BC and they are to return 70 years later. The author here weaves in the sign of fulfilling the law of the Sabbath year (Lev. 26). The land that has been contaminated by its inhabitants must "rest" while they are in Exile so that life might return there.
In fact, the Babylonians destroyed the Temple where hope was to be found. They took the human resource to Babylon. These strong and able-bodied ones protect the vulnerable. Now that they are taken away as a result of contaminating the Land with sin, only the weak ones who cannot cater well for themselves remain. They will be under foreign rule for 70 years (2 Chr. 36: 21). This is a sad situation. They seem to have lost it all. For them, the die is cast and they lost a place called home.
Dear friends, we need to realise that the very fact that the author mentions the duration of the exile as 70 years and linking to the Sabbath year of rest when the land will regain life after it had been contaminated with sin, points to the compassion of God which never ceases. Indeed, "the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases" (Lamentations 3:22). What even gave the sign of relief in these troubling times is King Cyrus' edict which declared freedom and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem at the end of the 70 years. I believe that hearing the statement "Let him go up" will be a moment of joy for the people of Judah. This opens the door of hope.
Dear friends, as we journey in Lent, the Word of God and the various Lenten penitential practices are here as messengers to remind us of God's love for us, how God wants us to return to him when we despise him, and subject ourselves to slavery to what is not in tandem with his laws. In this Lent, let us not wait to be taken to another Exile before we rejuvenate our lands, thus ourselves. Even if we take this Lenten journey as a walk back from Exile, let us be reminded that God will always restore our brokenness and give us life. Through Christ, the image and "messenger" of God, we have eternal life (Jn. 3: 14-21). Yes, we can be "born again" to eternal life. God shows this to us by giving us the hope of restoration. He will restore the Temple, the "destroyed" hope.
Pax et Bonum
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