Rejoice in these important things

4th Sunday of Lent (Laetare Sunday)

John 3:14-21

Rejoice!  But when do we rejoice and how?

We rejoice when we accomplish something, when we receive an award, and when we feel good about ourselves.  But when trials come, when we experience failures and rejection, do we rejoice?

Laetare Sunday means rejoicing at the coming passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  Like Jesus our rejoicing starts at the moment we start carrying our crosses.  Where is rejoicing in that?

To share in the sufferings of others and to carry one's sufferings with joy could be the key to rejoicing, for it carries deep love within it.  People who don't love and are impatient with the the misfortunes of self and others abandon the crosses only to realize that they would carry their own crosses for the rest of their lives and even in the next.

Second, rejoice in the resurrection of self and others like Jesus. Unfortunately, all we are concerned about is personal resurrection.  It's hard to resurrect others from poverty and oppression.  But Jesus did so to fulfill a promise of giving life to all.  And that means everyone!

Third, rejoice because God loves with an unconditional and everlasting love.  Why does God have to save us impoverished human beings?  Do anyone of us deserve to be saved?  No!  Ask God why he wants us to be saved.  "Wala lang, basta lang." He simply love us.  Do we understand the depth of this love? If we only knew, we should have prioritized him in our lives instead of loving others and things above him. He even went a step further, offering his beloved Son for us so we may have eternal life.

So, rejoice for Jesus!  Offer our lives to him.

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