For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life

Annunciation, by Lorenzo Veneziano, 1357.  Lion Polyptcyh (detail), Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice, Italy

 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.  But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

- John 3:16-21

Yesterday we read that when Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.  But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.  There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.  This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."  Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."  Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"  Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes.  So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."  Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?"  Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?  Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness.  If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?  No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."

 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."   Looking back again at yesterday's reading (above), we recall that Jesus stated, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."   Here is the reason why He must be "lifted up."  Jesus declares God's great love not just for Israel, but for the world.  My study bible claims that this single verse expresses the whole of the message of John's Gospel, and even of salvation history.

"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."  Christ came in order to save and not to condemn.  But human beings also have a role; we have free will.  Therefore we are capable of rejecting what Christ brings into the world, the gift that He offers.  It is that rejection that renders us excluded and outside the therapeutic and salvific effects of the gift.

"And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.  But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."  Once again, as in its Prologue, John's Gospel returns to themes of darkness and light, which will also be strongly emphasized in some of Jesus' most beautiful teachings.  As Jesus phrases it, salvation and its acceptance also rests with the heart, and our impulse for truth.  A relationship to God, and our depth of communion with God, rests within this impulse and the freedom with which we open ourselves to that light, even for correction and change.  Let us note that it is only God who truly knows all these depths of the heart, and who can judge them.  Additionally, evil is contrasted with truth.  It is a reminder that those who remain outside the Kingdom include "whoever loves and practices a lie" (Revelation 22:15).

In Christ's explanation of salvation and also the failure to find it, our own role as human beings also counts for something.  We have the power to accept or reject the gift Christ brings to us all.  Phrased in terms of darkness and light, we have the free will to "take in" this light and allow it to operate in ourselves, to bring to light all that is in the heart -- or to resist and reject it.  It reminds us of the role that human beings play in the story of the Incarnation, and especially, as we are in John's Gospel and have recently read the story of the first sign at the wedding at Cana, the role of Mary, the Mother of God.  Luke gives us her assent and interaction with the Archangel Gabriel, at the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38).  Mary first questions what she is told, asking, "How can this be?"  But later, she gives a clear assent to the work of the Holy Spirit that will take place and the plan of God for her life:  "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word."  We may feel, of course, that God can do anything -- which is quite true.  But God's grace also asks for our cooperation.  These words of Mary are not included in the Gospel for nothing; they have great significance for her own role in salvation history, and for the importance granted to human beings by a gracious and loving God.  We have recently been given the first sign in John's Gospel, that of turning water to wine at the wedding in Cana, and this, too, began with words from Mary -- a plea, a prayer, a simple statement to her Son.  These things, and Mary's role in salvation history, serve to enforce the importance of Christ's teaching to Nicodemus regarding the roles that human beings play themselves in salvation.   We don't determine the gift and its action.  But we do have the capacity to reject or accept.  We can be with Mary, stating, "Let it be to me according to your word."  Or we can refuse, in the clear words of Christ here in today's reading.  We may exclude ourselves, and thus guarantee that our hearts are not opened to the work of God the Holy Spirit, illuminating and enlightening what we need to do and guiding our lives according to Christ's commands to find our way into this kingdom.  Jesus contrasts those who love truth with those who do not, a theme which will also run through the Revelation and its images of Judgment.  Let us remember that in Matthew's Gospel, when Christ speaks of Judgment, He speaks of the actions of compassion, a righteousness that looks at the depth of the heart and the truth found there.  His light comes into the world to make us more like Him, to give us discernment, but all of this depends upon a love of and commitment to truth -- the truth of God and our spiritual calling.  Mary, the Mother of God, has throughout the history of the Church, and from its earliest years, been seen as a model for the saints, and one of whom we may ask prayers and intercession, just the same as if one would ask a fellow faithful parishioner for their prayers and intercession at a time of special need.  Let us consider the role she plays for us, the human character she no doubt contributed to the Incarnation of her Son, and her "yes" to God's word and God's grace, God's calling for her.  Among the names attributed to her in the Church, many frequently express her character of compassion.  Among so many other titles, she is called, "Joy of All Who Sorrow," "Lady of Perpetual Help," "The One Who Comes Quickly to Help,"  "The One who is Quick to Hear," and so many more.  St. Chrysostom called her "Mary Help of Christians," and in Luke's Gospel, the Archangel Gabriel greets her as one who is already "full of grace."   In the historical view of the Church, she is the human being who serves as the prime example of that to which the rest of us aspire, the greatest of the saints, whose assent was fully to the grace of God and God's gift of salvation.