My new parish chooses different Masses for each of the rites of RCIA on different Sundays so some of these readings this week may be slightly unfamiliar to ears such as mine, more used to hearing the readings from Cycle A. The main message of the readings for this Sunday in Cycle B is that the magnanimity of our God of surprises outweighs the sinfulness of humanity. This is truly good news during Lent when our sinfulness is so ever-present in our minds!
The reading from 2 Chronicles tells us that God initiated a rescue plan "early and often" through the prophets even though the people of old heaped dreadful sin upon dreadful sin. So determined were they to ignore God's compassion that they even mocked and scoffed at the prophets and despised God's warnings! The people fell into captivity and lived miserable lives rather than in the glory of "chosen people". God had a plan B and an unlikely way to free the people nonetheless.
Our God of surprises always finds a way to continue to be the God of love, even though people continue to sin. The Gospel reading has the famous quote that God loves us so very much that He gave His Son to save the world and insure our eternal life. The selection from the letter to the Ephesians reminds us that this salvation was accomplished while we were still "dead in our transgressions". The focus is on the "immeasurable riches" of grace and the gift that this is to each of us. What God asks is that we believe in this Son.
Lent is rightfully "marketed" as a time of repentance. We should definitely repent of our wrong doings. Our lives should reflect belief in Jesus and His radical way of life. Perhaps these readings are not yet ingrained fully in my mind as are others I hear cycle after cycle, but in-between the lines I find that totally realizing the fact that we are God's handiwork is equally important in understanding the role of a Christian. Salvation is a gift; no one earns it. Living a good life is giving glory to God, not talking God into letting us into heaven. Reflecting on the incomprehensible gift of Salvation, honestly and deeply, seems a bit like an oxymoron. Letting the reality that it has happened is a very good step toward heartfelt repentance and also living a radically Christian life.
(Comments to Lanie at lanieleblanc@mindspring.com.)