March 15, 2015: 4th Sunday of Lent B

Click to hear Audio Homily
Do you like museums? More than 20 years ago, my family went on a trip to Italy which included visiting many museums and churches. At that time, I was a sophomore in college and my spiritual life was best described as agnostic, that is, I claimed neither faith in God nor disbelief in God. One day in Rome, after over an hour wait in line to enter the Vatican Museum, and after more than two hours of touring the museum inside, I was not impressed and was just plain tired. The tour inside the Vatican museum ended in a vast room filled with painted walls and ceilings. I looked around, was not dazzled by it at all, so I sat down to wait for our guide to lead us out of the room.

Two years ago, I was in that same room again, not as an agnostic but as a believer and a priest of Jesus Christ. The place that I once called a vast room is in fact the Sistine Chapel where popes are elected. On the main side of the chapel is a scene painted by Michelangelo called, “Last Judgment.” In that scene, are angels blowing the trumpet with some of the souls climbing up to heaven and some souls being dragged down to hell by the demons. At the upper center is Jesus surrounded by light, his mother, prophets of the Old Testament, Apostles, and saints. As I sat in that room, I had much to ponder.  I had a spent a few years in the darkness in the realm of the demons, yet because of God’s incomprehensible mercy, I was brought back to the light of Christ. That painting and my faith journey reflect today’s Gospel, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16)

Nicodemus in today’s Gospel grew to understand the meaning of that passage. The gospel passage described his first personal encounter with Jesus. That encounter happened in the cover of darkness, for Nicodemus did not want others to discover that he was meeting Jesus. His faith became more public as he defended Jesus against religious leaders, insisting that Jesus should not be condemned without a trial. After crucifixion, Nicodemus assisted at the burial of Jesus, providing a large quantity of expensive spices for his burial. Here was a man who grew in relationship with Christ--going from curiosity to a deep commitment to Jesus.

Where do you find yourself in your relationship with Jesus? Do you rather keep it private, not letting others know or are you bold enough to proclaim Jesus as your Lord? Do you live what you proclaim? How does your faith show through to others? Do you sense that you also need to deepen your relationship with Jesus like Nicodemus?

-Fr. Paul Yi