Catch on fire
French Canadians from the region around Quebec City know that at this time of year, residents of the Island of Orléans are preparing for a party. You see, we’re just about at the mid-point of the Lenten season, and that means it’s time for La mi-Carême: a party in the middle of the season that is usually associated with penance, fasting and prayer. In days gone by, when the churches of Quebec were filled much more than they are today, Catholics on the Island of Orléans would don masks and have a party somewhat reminiscent of a Venician carnival because they realized that by the mid-point of Lent, many of the most ardent Catholics might need a little change of scenery, a spark of some kind to renew our fervor and commitment for the discipline of Lent.
There’s a certain wisdom in this understanding. We all need a little spark every now and then to get us started with new projects, or with resolutions that we know in our heads would be good for us. Perhaps there’s something that we’ve been longing to try but we need a little push to get over the first hurdle and to boost our confidence.
Today’s gospel tells us about one of the members of the Sanhedrin, the people with power during Jesus’ time who himself had heard about Jesus. It would appear that Nicodemus was at least curious about the lessons that Jesus was discussing, and not from the point of view of wanting to judge him for them. By this point in the story, Nicodemus had begun to question within himself whether this story of the Kingdom, and about the miracle worker from Nazareth could be true. He became somewhat of a hidden disciple, and came to Jesus at night to continue the discussions. The conversation we hear in today’s gospel is part of the exchange between Jesus and Nicodemus. Like an RCIA candidate or a cradle Catholic who has realized that there is a need to deepen his faith, Nicodemus posed questions, and Jesus tried with human words to explain some of the truths of the faith. I can only imagine that this conversation must have been quite animated at times, but above all, it was filled with fire and passion, enough for Nicodemus’ heart to be caught on fire with zeal and with a thirst to know more about the Kingdom.
Lent is the liturgical season during which we must face our own demons. Through prayer and fasting, we hope to come to a deeper understanding of our faith: to have our own hearts catch on fire with renewed resolve and commitment for living our faith. Perhaps for the first time, we have truly heard Jesus’ words today: God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Our God is not vengeful. Even in the time when the leading priests and the people were exceedingly unfaithful, God has always been faithful to His promise. He did not send his Son to condemn us, not then and not now. Jesus, the ultimate gift of love, was sent into the world as a spark to renew faith. Here was the ultimate mi-Carême: a chance to start again on the road of discipleship.
The world outside these walls needs us to be committed disciples, afire with joy and excited about our faith. We need to be able to speak, even to the Nicodemus’ of today’s world: the ones who are afraid to ask questions of faith, the ones who look at the Church today and only see an institution that has been distanced because of suspicion and scandal. We need to be able to speak with students and children today who have questions about God, and even those who seem not to be interested in anything that organized religion has to say.
I’m convinced that if people in our world were able to see in us the fire of faith, they would want to know our God who is rich in mercy and who has loved us even when we did not know it. With such love, he makes us all alive together with Christ, and renewed with this life, we can sing his praises for all the world to hear.
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