THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT

THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT – LAETARE SUNDAY

“I WAS BLIND, BUT NOW I CAN SEE!”

The Sunday Gospel of Saint John (Jn 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38) [or 9:1-41] highlights the Healing of a Man who was blind from birth. Jesus tells us that the man was born blind so that the works of God might be made visible through him. The man’s healing on a Sabbath Day was done in an extraordinary manner. Jesus spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva. He then smeared the clay on the man’s eyes and advised him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. Immediately, the man obeyed, went to the pool and washed. When the man returned to Jesus, he was able to see.

The healing done by Jesus was the most precious gift of the blind man who never knew light. The gift of sight is important to everyone. Being able to see normally does not guarantee us with the gift of seeing what is essential. Allow Jesus to open your eyes and heart in order to enjoy the beauty in others, in the world and in yourself. Today, let us together request God through Jesus to heal the world. It is the perfect time to approach God even if physically celebrating the Holy Eucharist may not be possible for some. Listen to Jesus. Obey Him and be blessed with amazing miraclles.

GOSPEL: JOHN 9:1-41

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint John

As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes, and said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” —which means Sent—. So he went and washed, and came back able to see.

His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?”
Some said, “It is, ” but others said, “No, he just looks like him.” He said, “I am.” So they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?” He replied, “The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went there and washed and was able to see.”
And they said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I don’t know.”

They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees.
Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath. So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.” So some of the Pharisees said,
“This man is not from God, because he does not keep the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a sinful man do such signs?” And there was a division among them. So they said to the blind man again, “What do you have to say about him, since he opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

Now the Jews did not believe that he had been blind and gained his sight until they summoned the parents of the one who had gained his sight. They asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How does he now see?” His parents answered and said, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. We do not know how he sees now, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him, he is of age; he can speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone acknowledged him as the Christ, he would be expelled from the synagogue. For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; question him.”

OR…..

JOHN 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint John

As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth. He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes, and said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” — which means Sent —. So he went and washed, and came back able to see.

His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?”
Some said, “It is, ” but others said, “No, he just looks like him.” He said, “I am.”

They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees.
Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath. So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.” So some of the Pharisees said,
“This man is not from God, because he does not keep the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a sinful man do such signs?” And there was a division among them. So they said to the blind man again, “What do you have to say about him, since he opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

They answered and said to him, “You were born totally in sin, and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out.

When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered and said, “Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” He said, “I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him.

Once we experience God’s healing power, the most important thing is for us to recognize that ‘it was Jesus’. We tend to live our lives oblivious of His healing or the work of His hands. We have to understand that in all these life-changing or heart-warming experiences, it is Jesus. It is always Jesus.

The moment we acknowledge that it is Him, He comes and asks the question, “Do you believe in the Son of Man? You have seen Him and it is He speaking to you.” Only when we acknowledge Jesus, can we be truly healed from our blindness. May God bless us with joyful hearts that allow us to see clearly.

PRAYER FOR THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT

Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen