2 Chronicles 36: 14-16, 19-23; Ephesians 2 4-10; John 3 14-21.
Q: Do you know what a Caduceus is? Many of you work in a profession where you should. Let’s break open the word to find out.
1. Jesus did not come to condemn the world. He came that the world might be saved. This refers not only to PEOPLE, but to all the VALUES in the world. Jesus did not come to condemn anything human. He came to save every good activity people engage in, that we still seem to be able to DESTROY, DISTORT and MEDIOCRATIZE.
More than this, Jesus came to bring every human activity to FULFILLMENT; to LIFT UP everything people do or experience to a DIVINE PLANE. This 4th week of Lent wants us to see historically the LIGHT and saving LOVE of God in all human events; today we shall see how a spiritual CADUCEUS makes this true as we gather each Sunday.
2. To the Spiritually wise, the Scriptural treatment of the first people and later the Chosen People of the Old Testament, is to be seen as evident proof of God’s effort to REVEAL himself to all people. Through scripture we believe that in WORD alone, God created the world; that He worked extraordinary MIRACLES like floods to bring about a new creation. And later, through PLAGUES and other phenomena, He FORMED a nation of chosen people from a Nomadic ‘No People’, in a land He gave them. In NATURE God’s will is fulfilled.
From today’s reading, we see how God allowed the people to be DRIVEN from this promised land and have it be destroyed because of Sinful lives. And then 70 years later, turn around and PAVE their way back to Canaan, out of exile in Babylon, all at the hand of their ENEMIES. The BABYLONIANS drove them out and the PERSIANS freed them to return. All so the Israelites could continue to fulfill God’s Plan back in Israel. Even Evil ENEMIES are used to fulfill God’s Plans.
3. Paul tells us today, the history of the Christian era is no different. People continue to Sin, and even God’s People of the New Testament have often, been disloyal to him too. The sins of each generation are despicable, especially in Light of all God has done for us. It’s not hard to see how God still allows nature (good and bad events) and at times enemies and other evil people to purify and cleanse His Church, His people and save others.
St. Paul tells us God is always at work to accomplish His will. He says, “by GRACE you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God—not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works…”.
4. Yes, we see God’s saving power in NATURE, or we see God use NATIONS or ENEMIES to bring about His will. Yet not of these ever save any body. And since All human events are to be seen in the LIGHT of God’s saving actions, the Gospel offers us another take on God’s care in Nicodemus’ Journey. For there comes a time as in the journey of Nicodemus when the journey from darkness to light, or from doubter to evangelizer; that God Himself, most assuredly is working in the Human Heart.
Nicodemus was the “cream of the Jewish crop.” One dare not dream of having life any better than he had it. As a Jew, he was a Pharisee, a member of the Sanhedrin (the highest legal, legislative and judicial body), and a highly respected teacher of the Old Testament Scriptures. But in essence, Jesus tells Nicodemus that all of this was not enough to get him into the kingdom of God? If a man like Nicodemus is not good enough for the kingdom of God, then who is? We all better sit up and pay attention. It boils down to that we can’t do anything…but respond. And this is that we each must LOOK upon and BELIEVE in the spiritual CADUCEUS. So what is a Caduceus you say? Let’s find out right now using the GOSPEL.
5. During their wanderings in the desert the Chosen People often rebelled against God. On one such occasion, described in the Book of Numbers (21: 4-9), God allowed poisonous serpents amongst them. Anyone bitten by one of these serpents died. The people then repented, and God told Moses to make a bronze image of a serpent and raise it aloft on a pole. Anyone bitten by a serpent who looked on the ELEVATED BRONZE SERPENT (the Caduceus) was instantly healed of his poisoning.
And while the Caduceus Snake (Symbol of our Medical Profession) was the remedy for them then, Jesus prescribed the remedy for the Christian Era. So He told Nicodemus, that due to our infidelities, He must be raised aloft (on the cross) in order to gain eternal life for all who look upon Him and believe in him. Our Cross is a form of a Christian Spiritual Caduceus.
6. Yet the real Caduceus we must LOOK upon, BELIEVE in and RECIEVE to be healed is the Blessed Sacrament. As we said, God is always active, but especially at every mass. For at the Mass, a great MIRACLE happens. The laws of Nature are suspended. The bread becomes Christ Body, the Wine His Blood. Our fiercest ENEMY (Death) rears it’s ugly head, he takes Jesus, but is overcome by God in the Resurrection to give us direction to find LIGHT and LIFE. If you learn nothing else today, believe in the churches SPIRITUAL CADUCEUS.
Today as you see the cup and host raised at the Consecration, at the Great Amen, at the Lamb of God and in the Communion Rite, GAZE upon it. Then RAISE your head up to view the cross. Make the connection of the Crucified / Risen Christ in the Host. And then as you receive Jesus into your heart, think John 3:16 our ‘Caduceus Credo’. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”.
Recent Comments