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We have reached the tipping point of our Lenten journey, which is the 4th Sunday of Lent. This Sunday has a special Latin name of Laetare Sunday. Laetare is a command to be joyful. So why is our Church telling us to be filled with joy? Two main reasons: One is that our time of waiting and fasting is approaching an end. We are more than halfway done with our acts of penance and self-denial and the somberness of this season, which is great news! The second and even more important reason is that the celebration of our redemption, our liberation from sin and death is almost here. Without the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ, there is no hope, no forgiveness and no heaven possible for any of us. So the Church reminds us to rejoice because, in three short weeks, we will once again experience the life-giving mysteries that saved our souls and redeemed the world. Those are pretty good reasons to rejoice no matter what troubles we are facing right now!
Let’s reflect for a bit on what we do when we have good news. Do we keep it to ourselves? Do we try and hide it from the people we love and trust the most? Of course not! When something good happens to us, when we discover something amazing and exciting, we can’t help but share the good news. Part of the joy is being able to bring others into our celebration. Just think about when a couple finds out they are expecting a baby and they begin to announce it to their friends and family. Or when we get a job promotion or an award in school or win some contest or even buy something significant like a car or house. Good news is definitely meant to be shared and it is unnatural to try and keep it to ourselves.
The first reading laments the fact that the Chosen People did not live out their call to be different than other nations by living the laws and customs God had shown them. They were hiding the good news of the Covenant God made with them. The author of Chronicles tells us that all the people of Judah, the princes, the people, and the priests, added infidelity to infidelity and ignored God’s messengers and warnings. The main problem was NOT that they were breaking God’s rules. The issue was that they were not being the witnesses he wanted them to be so the Gentiles around them could be converted and saved. Eventually their wickedness led to their downfall and the people they were supposed to inspire by faithfulness became their conquerors and captors. The same will be true for you and me. If we are afraid to witness to God and the saving teachings of his Church, if we run from sharing the Good News and evangelizing, eventually our neighbors, friends, and family will not know God and will become the ones who humble and chastise us.
In the Gospel today, a man named Nicodemus has been listening to the Good News Jesus is preaching. He is intrigued, he likes what he hears, he wants to know how he can get in on the deal. But he is also afraid. Nicodemus is a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin. He is a man of status in the Jewish community, he has some power and prestige because of his position. He doesn’t want people to see that he is learning from Jesus; he definitely doesn’t want people to think he is a follower, even if, for all intents and purposes, he is. If people find out that he is talking to Christ, he will go down a few notches, he may lose his elevated status, and he might be mocked and dismissed. Nicodemus has to make a choice; does he want to find fulfillment and meaning in human honors and social status? Or is he willing to embrace this incredible gospel of Jesus, which not only intrigues him but also resonates in his mind and heart? In the passage we just heard, Nicodemus is not ready yet; he still hides and doesn’t want anyone to know that he believes in Jesus. In a couple years, when Jesus is crucified, Nicodemus will be one of the brave souls who cares for the body of Christ and places it in the tomb. After the resurrection, he will become a martyr for Christ, unashamed to be counted as a disciple of Jesus.
Do we not sometimes resemble Nicodemus in his timid and frightened state? Many of us are intrigued by the promise and beauty of our catholic faith. But we are also afraid to be seen as a zealot, a Jesus-freak. Don’t we worry about what people might think if we were vocally christian, unapologetically Catholic? And so we sneak around spiritually like Nicodemus. We are covert Christians, non-offensive, sanitized, might we even say sterile? We pray where no one sees us. We don’t dare confront people who mock or misunderstand our Faith. We worry so much about not offending that we compromise the truth Jesus suffered and died to bring us.
Too many people today are closet Christians; fearful, like Nicodemus, to be seen following the controversial Jesus of Nazareth. Too many of us are shackled by conventions and fearful of unapologetic witness to the gospel. By the way, I am including us priests in this number as well! The opinion of the person next door or online is sometimes more important than that of Christ’s. If our faith is truly good news, why are we afraid to share it? Why is the gospel any different than those other joyful occasions where we tell others the happy and beautiful fortune which has come our way?
Jesus tells Nicodemus that He has come into the world to save the world and anyone who believes in Him will not be condemned. Our faith, by its very nature, is meant to be shared with other people. If it is alive and healthy, it cannot be kept to oneself. And if we truly think that following Christ is what brings salvation as well as joy, peace, and fulfillment, how can we keep our mouths shut when it comes to talking to other people about the gospel? Doesn’t it seem selfish and cowardly to keep it secret, especially if our silence could lead to someone missing out on eternal life?
I know each of you wants to follow Christ; that is why you are here in this church. I hope you also experience the joy that comes from being an unapologetic believer in God, who so loved the world that he sent his only-begotten son. I also pray we experience the transformation of Nicodemus and practice our faith with contagious love, courage, and passion. Our world needs people like that! Our Church needs people like that! Our parish needs people like that!
