SAVED BY GRACE

IV SUNDAY OF LENT - John 3:14-21

Whenever we read the Holy Scriptures, from Genesis to Revelation, we find a thread linking the whole narrative. Behind all human interactions, there is a plan of salvation designed by God a plan is presented in a sketchy form immediately at the beginning: God promised that the offspring of the woman will crush the head of the serpent (Gn 3:15). The evil power that sows chaos in the world will be defeated and become harmless. The Scriptures try to show the unfolding of this plan through the history of the people of Israel. God’s commitment to his promise and his plan of salvation is shown in the covenant he established with the people of Israel. God remained faithful to his promise, despite the continuous betrayal on the side of the people. The first reading, taken from the book of Chronicles, presents an attempt at reading the history of Israel through the lens of the covenant. Time and again, the people were unfaithful to God, causing God to grow tired and become angry at them. In the end, God’s mercy and compassion would prevail, leading him to redeem his people. Thus, the victory of the Persian king Cyrus over the Babylonians is seen as planned and willed by God to give respite to his people and offer them salvation.

In his conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus speaks of God’s great love for humanity: “Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life.” This great love is shared by the Son, who offered himself to be sent and lifted on the cross. Salvation is found whenever we accept this love and that is done when we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son. The Son was not sent to condemn the world, “but so that through him the world might be saved.”

Salvation is obtained through faith in Jesus Christ and damnation will come upon those who refuse to believe. The unbelievers live in darkness and prefer it to the light. We must search for the truth and always come out into the light so that everything we do is done in God.

In the second reading, Paul writes to the Ephesians that being saved by faith we are saved by grace, by the grace of God’s merciful love. Salvation is not something that we acquire by our endeavours, the fruit of our strength or intelligence. 

“Because it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith; not by anything of your own, but by a gift from God; not by anything that you have done, so that nobody can claim the credit.” (Ep 2:8-9).