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The first reading today gives a historical account of why the people of Israel were deported to Babylon. The priests and the people were unfaithful to the law and had not heeded the warnings of the prophets. Because they didn’t keep their side of the covenant Jerusalem was sacked, the Temple burnt and the survivors deported to Babylon. When Cyrus the king of Persia came to power, he proclaimed that the God of Israel had told him to rebuild the Temple, and so the book of Chronicles ended on an optimistic note. The psalm is a song of the exiles, homesick for Jerusalem and the temple liturgy.

Today’s gospel is part of Jesus’ teaching to Nicodemus, the disciple who came by night to see the Lord. Here Jesus tells Nicodemus that the Son of Man (a title for Jesus) must be lifted up. This is a reference to the way Jesus would die, lifted up on a cross. In Greek the word for “lifted up” has another meaning – exalted. Jesus’ death, therefore, is not a shameful end but one of glory, which brings life to all who believe in him. Following a Greek mode of thinking, John divides people into those who believe and are in the light, and those who do not believe and are in darkness.

During this season of lent we think about our own exile from God through sin or alienation. While we spend some time reflecting about times when we feel distant from God let us pray the psalm which the exiles sang and increase our desire to be close once again.

Read St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians today and thank God for his mercy and love for us.