4th Sunday of Lent: What (and Who) do we see?

Study:  Reflect back on a moment when you suddenly “saw” a situation clearly.  What helped you make sense of it?

Pray:  Do you feel like you are in the dark right now?  Ask God for the light of grace to find your way.

Serve:  Do you know someone who is struggling to act in a situation?  How can you help them stay in God’s light?

Mass Readings – 4th Sunday of Lent

Let’s take a quick look at an overview of the readings this week:

• 1st Reading – Samuel “sees” David and anoints him with the Spirit
• Psalm – “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”
• 2nd Reading – We are children who live in the light of Christ
• Gospel – Jesus heals a man who was blind from birth

Images of sight, light, and darkness appear throughout these readings, reminding us of the crucial role our sight plays in daily life.  As we rely on our eyes, we recognize light and color as it interacts with our senses and guides much of our action.

God helps Samuel to see – not with human but heavenly eyesight – the qualities that will make David king of Israel; Jesus helps the man born blind to see the face of the living God.  Ephesians reminds us that as children of the light we turn away from darkness and live in goodness, while the Psalmist gives us courage to walk in the darkest of valleys…confident that the Lord is at our side.

For we know that the darkness is a part of life; indeed,  many of us have had the experience of darkness – where fear, doubt, and indecision hold us in a grip of paralysis – and we understand all too well our sense of loneliness and loss.

The Good News: God restores our sight – helping us to see the Lord at work in our world – and inspires us to direct our thoughts, words and actions by the light of faith.  May the Light of Christ open our eyes and guide our steps through this life!

***************

Catholic Inspiration Archives

***************

Note: This post was first published on March 20, 2017.