This Sunday is the Fourth Sunday of Lent, or Laetare Sunday. The readings are from 1 Samuel 16:1, 6-7, 10-13; Psalm 23:1-6; Ephesians 5:8-14; and John 9:1-41.
If you have ever walked into the Spiritual Life Center while I was writing something, you probably caught me absentmindedly singing along to my playlist to myself. This happened today when I sat down to write this reflection. I’m listening to one of the reflection playlists on the DC Spiritual Life Spotify account, and I realized I was singing, “I live by faith/ And not by sight/ Sometimes miracles take time.” How perfect for the Gospel reading this weekend!
There is a theme throughout the readings this weekend of trusting in the Lord and seeing not as humans see, but as God sees (1 Sam 16:7). The disciples see the man born blind and assume (as was the teaching at the time) that he was blind because of his sin or his parents’ sin. Jesus, however, directs them to the clearer vision: it was not because of sin that this man was blind. Rather, God allowed it so that “the works of God might be made visible through him” (Jn 9:3). Even still, after this man is healed, there are those who cannot see the miracle. They deny that it is the same man they would see begging every day. And then, even after the man confirms to the Pharisees that he was healed by Jesus, the Pharisees cannot see that Jesus is God. They still deny it! Where are you currently “blind” in your life? What is happening right in front of you that you cannot see or that you are denying? Maybe a blessing or an unexpected answer to prayer? This Sunday is Laetare Sunday, meaning “rejoice!” It is an opportunity for us to see a glimpse of the hope that awaits us in a few weeks at Easter. We are about halfway through Lent. How do you view your sacrifices now? What is God wanting to show you at this midpoint?