Kaukauna Catholic Parishes

Today’s second reading, from Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, concludes with the statement “We are God’s handiwork,
created in Christ Jesus, for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.” 

Let us begin by focusing on the word “Handiwork.” Sadly, handiwork is difficult to come by these days. How many things do we own that we can say are not the result of mechanization or computerization? In other words, how many items do we own that have been carefully crafted by someone’s hands? Whatever we do own, that is in fact hand-crafted is most likely expensive.  The few items I own, I value greatly because they are unique.

We are God’s handiwork. Each of us was painstakingly created by God. We were created to manifest the work of the artist; to show the world God’s beauty. We are special but we are made unique to reveal to the world how special the One is who created us.

St. Paul reminds us that we did not earn a Savior. It was by God’s grace that we have been rescued. What a Savior God has given us! 
Jesus Christ saw our beauty with His Father’s eyes and delivered us from the darkness of sin.  “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him, may have eternal life,” today’s Gospel tells us. The Father sent Jesus to save the work of the Father’s hands. He came to save us, God’s handiwork, but we must choose the way of the Lord. Some choose the way of light and some choose the way of selfishness over love: the way of darkness.

The fourth Sunday of Lent is called Laetare Sunday. This word, Laetare, means more than joy. It means to be light-hearted. Even though we are facing the heavy days of the commemoration of the Passion and Death of the Lord, in a few weeks, we are light-hearted because we know what Jesus has done for us. He has embraced death so we can have life. We are light-hearted because we know to whom we belong. We are God’s handiwork.

The next time we look into a mirror and see a blemish on our face or a new wrinkle emerging, we need to see what God sees. He sees someone he meticulously sculptured. You and I need to remind ourselves daily that we are special. We are loved. We have dignity. We are the work of God’s hands. 

Blessings,
Deacon Mark