By Fr. Andrew Kelly
FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT – MARCH 15, 2015
“The fierce urgency of now” is a quote attributed to Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday’s Gospel (John 3:14-21) is about “The fierce urgency of now.”
The “urgency” is Jesus’ cross being lifted up and believingly looked upon as the ultimate manifestation of how much God unconditionally loves in the here and now.
The “urgency” is in believing that God’s unconditional love is now exploding among those who believe. Believers are now not only unconditionally loving one another but also hungry and homeless strangers, sinners and all sorts of no-accounts no matter who they may be or what they may have done or how bad they may smell.
The “urgency” is so fierce that even condemned people on death rows are now being loved unconditionally.
The “urgency” is so shocking that not only are enemies being loved unconditionally but enemies are now being prayed for by believers.
The beauty is that the world is now being loved unconditionally by believers who now love as God loves: “For God so loved the world that God gave an only Son… “
Is this true? Do believers believe in the fierce urgency of now and God’s fierce unconditional love for the world as it is now?
(Father Andrew Kelly is a retired priest of the Diocese of Davenport.)