4th Sunday of Lent - Year B - March 10, 2024

 
We are now on the 4^th Sunday of Lent, still thanking you dear brothers and sisters for visiting us here.
 
The readings for the 4th Sunday of Lent Year B focus on God's faithfulness in drawing us closer to him. The first reading tells how God inspired Cyrus to allow the chosen people to worship once again in Jerusalem. And in the gospel we hear of Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, where Jesus explains that he was sent to us out of the boundless love of God.
 
The 4th Sunday of Lent Year B presents a profound reflection on themes of longing for restoration, God's mercy and grace, the dichotomy between light and darkness, and God's unwavering love for humanity. These readings invite us to contemplate our own lives considering God's enduring patience and willingness to forgive. They challenge us to recognize our transgressions yet reassure us of the possibility of repentance and returning to God's grace. Through the narrative of the Babylonian exile and the words of Jesus in John 3, we are reminded of the transformative power of belief and the hope that lies in restoration.

• Longing for restoration - Despite the reality of judgment and punishment, the readings for the 4th Sunday of Lent Year B also emphasize the possibility of repentance and restoration. In 2 Chronicles 36, the Babylonian exile is seen as a time of purging and purification, and God later allows the people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. In John 3, Jesus speaks of the possibility of eternal life through belief in him.

• God's mercy and grace - The readings also emphasize God's mercy and grace towards humanity, despite our sinfulness. In the first reading, God is patient and long-suffering towards the people, giving them many chances to repent and turn back to him. In the gospel, Jesus speaks of God's love for the world, and his willingness to give his only son as a sacrifice for our sins.

• Light and darkness - In John 3, Jesus speaks of the contrast between light and darkness, using light as a metaphor for truth and righteousness, and darkness as a metaphor for sin and ignorance.

• God's love for humanity - The readings for the 4th Sunday of Lent Year B also emphasize God's love for humanity, despite our sinfulness. In 2 Chronicles 36, God is patient towards the people, even as they rebel against him. In John 3, Jesus speaks of God's love for the world, and his willingness to give his only son as a sacrifice for our sins.

So the readings for the 4th Sunday of Lent Year B offer a deep exploration of God's relationship with humanity, characterized by both justice and immense love. Despite the harsh reality of judgment, there is always a path back to God through repentance, illuminated by the light of Christ. These themes encourage us to embrace the light, acknowledge God's sacrificial love, and move towards a future where our actions are aligned with God's will. As we journey through Lent, let us hold fast to the promise of restoration and the gift of God's mercy, celebrating the profound love He has for each of us, manifested through the giving of His only Son.
 
Entrance:
1.      Tun-I Kami Ginoo
2.      Mag-awit Kita
3.      Dios Namo sa Kalooy
4.      Buksan ang Aming Puso (Tinio, Hontiveros)
5.      Blest be the Lord
6.      Seek the Lord (O’Connor)
 
Readings:

• First Reading - 2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23: Judah's betrayal of faith led to their exile as Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. God's warnings were ignored, resulting in captivity. Fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecy, the exile lasted until Cyrus of Persia decreed the rebuilding of the temple, marking the beginning of the return.

• Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 137:  The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

• In Babylon's captivity, we wept for Zion, unable to sing our sacred songs in a foreign land. Forgetting Jerusalem would be my greatest loss, my joy silenced without its memory.

• Second Reading - Ephesians 2:4-10: God, in His mercy, made us alive with Christ, saving us by grace through faith, not by our deeds, to display His grace in Christ. We are created for good works, predestined by God.

• Gospel - John 3:14-21: Jesus has a conversation with Nicodemus and references Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness as a foreshadowing of his own crucifixion and the salvation that it would bring. Jesus emphasizes the importance of believing in him as the Son of God in order to receive eternal life, and highlights the judgment that will come to those who do not believe.

 
Offertory:
1.      O Dios Dawata
2.      Aniang among Halad
3.      Diyutay Lang Kini
4.      Sumasamo Kami (Judan)
5.      Panginoon Narito Ako
6.      Unang Alay (modified version)
7.      Now We Remain (Haas)
8.      Take Our Bread (Wise)
 
 
Communion:
1.      Kini Maong Akong Lawas
2.      Kinabuhi mo Kinabuhi Ko
3.      Ako ang Kahayag
4.      Balaan nga Gugma
5.      Dios Namo sa Kalooy
6.      Awit ng Paghilom (Aquino)
7.      Maging akin Muli (Aquino)
8.      Dakilang Pag-ibig (Pangilinan, Hontiveros) Prioritize Stanza 2. Swak sa 2R.
9.      Likhain mong Muli (Alejo, Francisco)
10.  God of Silence (Francisco)
11.  Empty Space (Go, Francisco)
 
Recessional:
1.      Kinsa?
2.      Ang Atong Tulubagon
3.      Alay sa Kapwa (Esteban, Hontiveros) Prioritize Stanza 3.
4.      Save Us, O Lord (Dufford)