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.
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
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!
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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!
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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.
Study: Are there parts of my life that are in the dark? Is there anything that needs to brought into the light of Jesus?
Pray: Ask the Lord for light to see insight and out – both in your heart and in your relationships. Pray for the strength to face what you see.
Serve: Is there someone in your life struggling to face God’s light? How can you help them see clearly?
Most of us use our sense of sight more than any other. We are visually oriented – in our reading, electronic media, use of film, and interaction with one another.
But sight requires light to see clearly. We stumble in the dark, get disoriented easily when we cannot see, and can lose our way without our gift of sight.
This is not just true in the physical world, but in the spiritual as well. Our lives are defined by the choices we make, the words we speak, and the actions we perform. They are all evidence of what’s really going on in our heart. In the spiritual light of faith we understand who we are; we can examine our lives by the light of Jesus and discover ourselves.
Furthermore, in the light we can be truthful with one another. We tend to hide our sins and weaknesses in the dark – to cover up our failures and avoid exposing our messes to the light where others can see them clearly. Yet we also know that those who love us most truly know us the best, warts and all. They love us not because we are perfect, but because their love (which sees us clearly) is greater than our weaknesses.
The readings today give us a lot of thoughts about light:
Is there a darkness in our lives today? Have we been stumbling in the dark and lost our way to God and one another? Jesus Christ brings light which will not only reveal our lives on the inside but also on the outside. God’s light uncovers who we truly are and how we relate to others. In the light we can be honest, sincere, and real. In the light we can acknowledge our failures and return to the one who forgives us.
The invitation: come into the light! We do not need to be afraid – God knows us better than we know ourselves. Stepping into the light helps us to recognize where we can grow, so we can be transformed by the grace of Jesus and live in His light.
Once the light of Jesus helps us to see clearly we can make the changes we need to live authentically as his disciples. By His light we can receive the grace, guidance, wisdom, and strength we need. Let there be light!
Three Great Things 