Fourth Sunday of Lent
Daily Prayer
Merciful God, we are never spiritually blind at birth. It is only later in life when indifference or hatred begins to blind us. You chose us to be children of light. Remove the scales from our eyes that hinder us. Free us from our sins and make us worthy of Your healing. Through Jesus, who is Light of the World, help us retain our spiritual vision. Amen
Scripture Readings
Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41
Scripture Quote
John 9:5
Jesus answered,
“While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Reflection
This reading from John presents us with Jesus as “the light of the world.” By restoring sight to a man blind from birth on Saturday, Jesus becomes the center of controversy among the Pharisees. “This man does not come from God because he has not kept the Sabbath,” they tell the cured man. And they reject the light that Christ came to offer them.
The blind man’s parents do not want to commit themselves. They are afraid of reprisals from the Pharisees, and they leave the responsibility to their son. The cured blind man is not afraid to tell the truth. He acknowledges that he was blind, and Jesus has restored his sight. Despite the threats of the Pharisees, he does not hesitate to confess his faith in the saving power of Jesus.
It is necessary that we place ourselves next to each of these Gospel characters to see what our attitude is before Jesus, our light. With which of them do we identify? Perhaps we have to recognize that at times we have acted like the Pharisees, rejecting Jesus. Or, like the blind man’s parents, afraid to commit. The cured blind man is our model. From the experience of our own blindness, of the darkness that surrounds our life, we will be able to recognize that Christ is our light, a light that makes us see the reality of life with a new Christian vision.
Reflection Questions
Do I hesitate in confessing my faith? Am I afraid to commit myself to Jesus?
As a follower of Jesus, do I let Christ’s light shine in me?
Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
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