Fourth Sunday of Lent
On this fourth Sunday of Lent we are called to rejoicing: “Rejoice, Jerusalem and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning.” Now that we have passed the midpoint of the penitential season, and as in nature we approach the Spring equinox, this “Rejoicing” Sunday turns our minds toward Easter light and joy.
The light motif is merged with that of sight—physical or natural sight, and spiritual or supernatural sight: “Not as man sees does God see,” the Lord said to Samuel. It is encouraging to know that even a man as worthy as Jesse cannot “see” at first what God is doing through his youngest son, David, right before his eyes; also to know that even one as eager to cooperate with Jesus as is “the man blind from birth” must go through a rather lengthy—and at times even comical—process to first experience the gift of sight; to discern the source of the gift; to recognize and bear witness to Jesus as a prophet; and finally to see and embrace Jesus as Lord.
It may be that God bestows the gift of sight on us only gradually, only when and as we are able handle it, as in the case of Jesse. It may be that God, in his infinite patience, chooses to wait until we can have the satisfaction of working some things out for ourselves—always, of course, under the influence of grace.
Prayer
The following lines are from a hymn by Walter Chalmers Smith (1824-1908), always a favorite prayer of mine:
Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes . . .
All laud we would render: O help us to see
‘Tis only the splendour of light hideth thee.
Fr. David Cray, SSE, ‘68
First Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a
Psalm 23:1-6
Second Reading: Ephesians 5:8-14
Gospel: John 9:1-41
Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website
