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Year B: Second Sunday of Lent Second Reading: Romans 8: 31-34 Many of us live with a sense that God loves us - but that somehow, if we are to make progress in our spiritual lives, we have to do all the hard work to prove ourselves worthy of such love. We don’t often think of having God on our side. If we think about it at all, we would assume that God is above all that - and isn’t He on everyone’s side anyway? If we start to think in terms of God being on our side, it makes a big difference to how we see ourselves - and others - for as St Paul says - if God is on our side then who can be against us?In saying this, we are not saying that it is us and God against everyone else! Rather, we are saying that when things get tough - when people accuse us falsely - when we feel we are not coping very well - then is the time to remember that God is on our side. God wants us to succeed. God wants the very best for us - a will do all in His power to help. And how do we know this? Because, as St Paul points out - God even sacrificed His own Son on our behalf. If God was prepared to do that, how can we doubt that He cares for us?
When others falsely accuse us - we can stand firm knowing that in God’s eyes we innocent. We know that He has acquitted us and that we have the most powerful advocate in Jesus.
Such knowledge
can give us confidence in facing the world which can be - and
often is - hostile to the Gospel. People will try to undermine
what we say and do - often by attacking us personally. By
developing an awareness of God’s being on our side, we can face
such challenges with courage and remain steadfast to our beliefs
and ideals. What does it mean for me?
| Gospel | First Reading | Second Reading | |
