Fourth Sunday of Lent

The Fourth Sunday of Lent

First Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a “Man sees the appearance, but the Lord looks into the heart.”

Psalm: 23  “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”

Second Reading: Ephesians 5:8-14  “Awake, o sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

Gospel: John 9:1-41 “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Today the prophet Samuel narrates God’s choice of David as the next king. David was a surprising choice – the youngest son who was out tending the sheep. This was not the job you gave to your best and brightest, shall we say. Yet God judges the heart, not by appearance, and He had chosen David, “a man after God’s own heart.” (1 Samuel 13:14) David was a man of deep, abiding obedience to God, and he was humble and trustworthy. Once he was anointed, “the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon” him. Some of us, too, have been anointed at our Baptism and Confirmation. God’s own Spirit rushed upon us. How well have we cooperated with that share of God’s own life? Have we cultivated an obedient heart? Are we aware of the Presence of the Lord within our hearts? We are, after all, Temples of the Holy Spirit, living Tabernacles of the Lord. Whenever we receive the Body of Christ worthily, we hold within our hearts that most welcome Guest, Jesus Christ. Let us work mightily to listen to Him and not to judge by appearances.

Today’s Psalm refers to the Lord as the Good Shepherd, reminding us that we are His sheep – not the most intelligent of animals! Yet compared with God, this is a valid comparison. We are sheep, easily led astray. Our Good Shepherd fulfills all of our needs, for we “shall not want.” Repose next to Him in your heart, for “He refreshes” our souls. Listen to Him, for He guides us “in right paths.” With Him beside us, we need fear no evil, for He encourages us when we need His support. He lavishes His gifts upon us, even “in the sight of my foes,” anointing us with His Spirit so that our “cup overflows.” The Psalmist ends with a joyful acknowledgement that “only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord” forevermore. God willing, we shall all dwell in His house forevermore!

The Second Reading comes from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. St. Paul contrasts light with darkness in this reading: “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.” He goes on to exhort them to “live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth.” Truth, beauty, and goodness are the transcendentals – those ideas which transcend the merely physical world, and those items which point unerringly to God. God is Truth, Beauty, and Goodness, and God is Love. If we pattern ourselves on God, we will be children of the Light and we will do those things which please the Lord. “Awake, o sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” Arouse your soul to love God above all else, and you will be conformed to Him. Your light will shine before all, for everyone to see. Choose wisely by keeping your eyes on the prize – God, for eternity, in Heaven. Then fashion your deeds to match your goal and you will be on your way to sainthood. Patrick Coffin wisely says: “Be a saint – what else is there?!”

St. John narrates the encounter of the blind man with Jesus. The man was born blind, so he had never seen the light at all. What a terrible darkness that must have been! Jesus heals the man “so that the works of God might be made visible through him…while I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Jesus uses His spittle and dirt from the ground to make a clay, which He then smeared on the man’s eyes. Man was fashioned from the dust of the Earth by God, and now God, Jesus Christ, refashions this one man from dust and spittle. The man gains the sight that eyes are meant to have.

People were amazed at this miracle, but some denied it. To settle the argument, the man was called to testify. He replied, “The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and told me ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’” It is interesting that the man uses the word “anointed” to describe how Jesus smeared the clay on his eyes. One who is anointed is being sent on mission, is made new, is called to a new state in life.

The Pharisees debated about this miracle as well, because it was “work” done on the Sabbath. Others argued that a sinful man could not work such miracles. The blind man testified about Jesus: “He is a prophet.” The man’s parents were summoned and answered simply that “he is of age; he can speak for himself.” In other words, yes, this is our son; yes, he was born blind; but we cannot detail for you how he can now see. Ask him yourself!

When the man was questioned again, he scoffed at the Pharisees: “This is what is so amazing, that you do not know where He is from, yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners…it is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, He would not be able to do anything.” The once-blind man is accusing the Pharisees of being unable to see what is plainly before them: a miracle.

Jesus later meets up with the man and asks him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” Jesus then reveals that He is, Himself, the Son of Man. The man believed and worshipped. Do we believe and worship? Do we believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist? Do we believe in the miracle of transubstantiation, which is right before our eyes at every Mass? Or are we hard of heart like the Pharisees, refusing to perceive what wonders we have witnessed? Look deeply into your heart; examine your conscience for doubts about the Real Presence. Please come to the Sacrament of Confession to heal your relationship with God and to deepen your love for Him. Doubt no longer, but believe in the miracle of the Eucharist. Come to your Lord and adore Him!