As Samuel is looking at Jesse’s sons, he is reminded that the Lord sees our lives differently than we do. May we look at the current situation of our world today and ask for the grace to see with God’s eyes.
Mass Readings – 4th Sunday of Lent
***************
How strong is our faith in the Lord? Do we see Jesus at work in our lives? Two blind men in the Gospel of Matthew teach us today how to call upon the Lord in our blindness as we trust in Christ’s guidance every day.
Mass Readings – Friday of the 1st Week of Advent
***************
Simeon looks beyond the outward appearances of the baby of Mary and Joseph and sees the Son of God. May we pray that the Holy Spirit will give us clear sight to recognize the Lord’s presence in our daily actions, empowering us to respond with faith, hope and love.
Mass Readings – The 5th Day in the Octave of Christmas
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Simeon’s Song of Praise, Aert de Gelder, 1700-1710, The Hague.
Mass Readings – 4th Sunday of Lent
The readings this weekend help us understand the crucial role that sight plays in our lives. Whether it’s physical or spiritual…what do you see? The invitation today: to see God at work in our lives as we look for Christ and live in His love.
***************
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:
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!
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast
Mass Readings – Friday of the 1st Week of Advent
Two blind men hear about Jesus, and they believe that he can heal them. Seeing clearly with their hearts they were given sight to their eyes. May we have the same depth and strength of faith as well!
Note: this picture of the Porziuncula was taken on my recent visit to Assisi.
Fr. Andrew’s Epiphany of the Lord Homily Podcast
The light of the star guided the sight of the wise men to the infant Jesus. God’s light continues to shine in our world today through Prayer, Scripture, Sacraments, and Fellowship. May we not only use our sight to recognize the Lord’s presence, but may we also shine with the light of faith to help others draw near to Christ.
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast (5th Day in the Octave of Christmas)
Simeon, filled with the Holy Spirit, held the baby Jesus in his arms and praised God, saying:
“Lord, now let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you prepared in the sight of every people,
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32)
May our eyes be open, to see God’s hand touching and blessing our lives today!
***************
Simeon’s Song of Praise, Aert de Gelder; circa 1700-1710, Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, The Hague, Netherlands.
Study: Reflect on a time when you clearly experienced God’s presence in your life. How were you guided?
Pray: Is there a challenging task confronting you today? Ask the Lord for the Light to find your way.
Serve: How can you be a Light for others? How can your life help others to see clearly?
The Epiphany of the Lord Readings
Fr. Andrew’s Homily Podcast
The Magi were guided by a star to Jerusalem. They were led by its light, and along the way inquired among the people where they might find the king and were thus directed to Bethlehem. I am struck by the two complementary components that were necessary for their journey: Light & Sight.
Without light, sight is impossible. Without sight, the light is wasted. Many people saw the light of the star, but the Magi acted on it – seeking through a long journey to find the King of Kings.
God’s light continues to shine in our world today. Do we open our eyes and see with the gift of faith the wonders that the Lord sets before us? Make no mistake: we believe that Christ is present in the Eucharist, the Scriptures, and our fellowship “where two or three are gathered” in his name.
We are invited to follow the example of the Magi and seek the Lord in our lives – using our senses and resources to respond to the blessings we have have received. May we use our Sight to follow the Light!
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast (Friday of the 1st Week of Advent)
Two blind men encounter Jesus…and gain their sight. May we turn to the Lord for greater sight – that what we see will inspire us to respond with the light of faith.
