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Fourth Sunday of Lent

March 6, 2005

Reflection prepared by Sister Geraldine Hedinger, OSB  

1st  Reading:  1 Samuel 16: 1-13

Reflection: King Saul has died and God sends Samuel on a journey to anoint the next king of Israel. He goes to a man named Jesse who had seven sons, any one of whom could be the next king. They were strong warriors, sturdy and confident men. None of these seven sons fit the bill to be king. Samuel asks Jesse if there isn’t another son. Jesse replies that there is a young, inexperienced son, the youngest, out in the pasture tending the sheep. As it turns out, David, that youngest son, is the one called to be next king of Israel.

God says to Samuel: Do not judge from appearance... humans see the appearance, but God looks into the heart. Sometimes God turns things around in our lives - what we think is logical, reasonable, traditional, or desirable God moves in another direction. God wants to stretch us. God wants us to see the least likely as the chosen.  God wants us to reserve our human judgment and open our hearts to see a new way of thinking, of being, of responding.

Reflection Question: 

Is God trying to stretch you to see a whole new way you are being called? What does God see in your heart?

Activity: 

Send a card, phone, or visit someone who is lonely, hurting, or rejected.  Help make their day by your sincere thoughts of care.

2nd Reading:  John 9: 1-41

Reflection:  This passage is a long story about the man born blind.  He encounters Jesus who anoints his eyes, tells him to go wash in the pool.  When the blind man did as Jesus said, he could see.  This is a simple act of healing,  but the Pharisees complicate it. 

First, they cannot understand how Jesus by-passes the belief that the man or his parents must have sinned for him to be born blind.  Second, the Pharisees claim that Jesus could not be from God, because he broke Sabbath law by the act of healing.

What really irked the Pharisees was Jesus’ way of turning the tables on them. Jesus tells them that his mission in the world is to make the blind see and the seeing become blind. Even if our physical eyesight is 20/20, we sometimes are blinded - driving in thick fog or blowing snow, waking up from a deep sleep and turning on a bright light. Sometimes we are nursing jealousy, anger, envy, judgmental thoughts toward someone that we cannot see their goodness or their giftedness. At times, we cannot see our own goodness or giftedness.

The blind man in the gospel let Jesus anoint him with care. He did not question the instructions Jesus gave him. His faith was unwavering amidst the questioning of the Pharisees.

The Pharisees stood aghast at the thought they may be the real blind ones.  “Surely we are not blind, are we?” they ask.

Reflection Question:

What area of blindness in you do you want Jesus to heal? Are you open to believing Jesus can heal you?

Activity:

Stand or sit in a dark space for a time. Note how you feel. Put your hands over your eyes and ask Jesus to help you see the goodness in yourself and others. Turn on a light, or light a candle, and pray with the man in the Gospel. 

Prayer:

God of compassion, your son Jesus brought hope to those open to his Word.  As we near the Easter season, keep us faithful in all our striving to become people of Light. Open the eyes and ears of our heart to see the blindness within. Help us to accept your healing and your desire that we become whole. This we ask in Jesus’ name.

Our Father