Fourth Sunday of Lent-B
Life as we know it depends on many factors; perhaps the greatest is light, either from the sun or artificial sources. Even though there is little doubt of its necessity, there are times when light is not welcome. For example, when you rise from your slumber in the morning and are greeted with light, your eyes automatically recoil. In the brief instance of experiencing the brightness, the light is anything but welcome.
Outside the natural experience of which we have no control, there is a spiritual reality by which human beings have control and prefer the darkness over the light. From a spiritual dimension, light is synonymous with God and dominion over his creation. In the beginning passage of the Gospel of St. John, the dichotomy between God and humans is recalled by describing Jesus as the light that shines in the darkness or “the light that shines in the darkness.” St. John later emphasizes the theme of light and life, contrasting it with the darkness of evil when he describes the moment Judas betrayed him by including the critical phrase, “It was night.”
The backdrop of John’s Gospel is an audience familiar with a world that views the difference between good and evil as light versus dark. In John’s Gospel, darkness is ignorance, a lack of faith, sickness, death, and sinfulness. When Jesus talks to Nicodemus in the gospel this week, he draws upon the prevalent understanding, “ And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil.”
Jesus’ instruction to Nicodemus is meant for everyone to hear. Because we are sinful, there are many times throughout our lives when we prefer darkness because our deeds are evil. Some of them are major sins, but most often, they are minor deeds or venial sins due to our inherent human weakness. Precisely because we are not perfected creatures yet, we must always be aware that we need a Savior by seeking reconciliation with God and others.
After enlightening Nicodemus about sinful and easily recognizable evil deeds, Jesus gets to the heart of the division between goodness and evil. He tells him, “But whoever lives in the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.” Historically, evil was defined as an absence of good, which is one way to understand the difference between the two. However, it isn’t the only way. Jesus defines goodness as living in the truth and is attracted to the light (God) as a bug is attracted to a light source at night.
Seeking the truth can be elusive for those whose hearts are hardened by sin. Recall Pontious Pilate, who famously questioned Jesus and said, “What is truth?” By even asking the question, Pilate, like others, was unaware that truth resides in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus describes himself as “The way, the Truth, and the life.”
The biggest challenge in modern life is recognizing truth, especially when it conflicts with our evil desires. In those cases, the light of Christ truly becomes the enemy. The present philosophy promoting the end justifying any means necessary is an example of darkness and evil deeds redefining truth apart from Christ. The common slogan, “my truth,” uttered by sinful people, is just one instance of people hating the light of Christ.
The debates over the truth rage in the battle between good and evil and are everywhere. Pro-choice people ignore the child in the womb is a human person and try to persuade folks the question is about healthcare, not murder. Pro IVF adherents try to draw your attention away from the truth of the destruction of many human persons to the gain of the birth of one child.
Those who are for the sexualization and brainwashing of children before they reach puberty postulate the truth comes from their mental concoction and not the dictates of nature instituted by God.
The omnipresent non-truths coming out of politicians’ and newspeople’s mouths are becoming commonplace and accepted as the truth. Attacks on human freedom, free speech, and participation in your country’s future are based upon the evil deeds of controlling and subjugating fellow citizens to obtain power and wealth for the few.
When it becomes noticeable that people turn away from God, the truth becomes the first casualty. And why shouldn’t it be because the manipulation of truth is when human beings first were separated from God in the Garden of Eden? Satan manipulated and tempted our first parents with a lie, which is the opposite of the truth. From that point on, the truth has been under assault.
To be a Christian and the desire to become a better Christian means we seek out the truth of Christianity and not the truth of men. An excellent place to start is whether your thoughts and deeds harm yourself or others. If they do, they cannot be the truth.