March 7, 2024 | Liturgical Year B
Readings for the Fourth Sunday of Lent
- 2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23
- Psalm 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
- Ephesians 2:4-10
- John 3:14-21
Celebrating God’s Boundless Mercy
Saint Paul, in today’s second reading from Ephesians, proclaims that God is “rich in mercy.” This profound statement leads me to recall that Pope Francis is frequently identified as the “pope of mercy.” In his first book as pope, The Name of God is Mercy, Francis continually insists that mercy is the very essence of God; he expresses it this way: “Jesus said that he came not for those who were good, but for the sinners…. For this reason, we can say that mercy is God’s identity card, God of Mercy, merciful God. For me, this really is the Lord’s identity.”
An Enriching Source. Although a vast amount of “mercy material” from Pope Francis is available, probably the best source is Francis’ document, Misericordiae Vultus [MV] (The Face of Mercy), wherein he proclaimed an entire year of mercy, beginning on December 8, 2015 [50th anniversary of the close of Vatican II]. Francis says: “We need constantly to contemplate the mystery of mercy. It is a wellspring of joy, serenity, and peace…. Mercy [is] the bridge that connects God and humanity” (MV 2).
God, Father of Mercy. Scripture clearly affirms that God is “the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation” (2 Cor 1:3). Our God is “rich in mercy” (Eph 2:4), Dives in Misericordia. One of Jesus’ best-known parables is that of the “merciful father” (though often known as the parable of the prodigal son): Lk 15:11-32. The magnanimous father shows his overflowing love, mercy and compassion to both of his sons.
Jesus, the Face of the Father’s Mercy. Jesus’ entire life and “his person is nothing but love, a love given gratuitously…. The signs he works, especially in the face of sinners, the poor, the marginalized, the sick, and the suffering, are all meant to teach mercy. Everything in him speaks of mercy” (MV 8). Jesus “felt deep compassion” for the crowds (Mt 9:36). His mercy overflows when he invites Matthew the tax collector to follow him; he looked at Matthew with merciful love and chose him: miserando atque eligendo [Francis’ episcopal motto] (Mt 9:9). Jesus spoke many parables devoted to mercy.
Church, Community of Mercy. “Mercy is the very foundation of the Church’s life. All of her pastoral activity should be caught up in the tenderness she makes present to believers…. The Church’s very credibility is seen in how she shows merciful and compassionate love” (MV 10). “In our parishes, communities, associations and movements, in a word, wherever there are Christians, everyone should find an oasis of mercy” (MV 12).
Mary, Mother of Mercy. “My thoughts now turn to the Mother of Mercy…. No one has penetrated the profound mystery of the incarnation like Mary. Her entire life was patterned after the presence of mercy made flesh…. She treasured divine mercy in her heart” (MV 24).
Concluding Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, you have taught us to be merciful like the heavenly Father…. Let your Church be your visible face of mercy in the world.”
Notes on the Sunday Readings
First Reading
II Chronicles 36:14-17, 19-23 This reading narrates the history of the Kingdom of Judah; its people failed God and ridiculed the prophets. The Babylonian captivity was their punishment, yet God showed compassion.
Psalm
The responsorial psalm (Psalm 137:1-6) is the famous lament of the homesick exiles in Babylon.
Second Reading
Ephesians 2:4-10 – Saint Paul asserts that our salvation is a free and generous gift of God, because God is “rich in mercy.”
Gospel
John 3:14-21 – God so loved the world and showed his magnanimous, overflowing mercy by sending his very own son to save the world.
Notes and Commentary by Maryknoller James Kroeger, who recently published Walking with Pope Francis: The Official Documents in Everyday Language (Orbis Books – 2023).