4TH SUNDAY OF LENT A
JUST A LITTLE MORE LIGHT
Jn 9: 1-41
She sat in one corner listening to my reflection during their retreat and after I finished, she approached and asked if I was available for consultation, to which I agreed. It was obvious that early in the retreat, the Holy Spirit was already calling her to a deeper experience of faith and giving her the grace of saying “Yes” though it would mean travelling a difficult road. You see, she and all her companions were Protestant, and for the first time was listening to a Catholic retreat director.
Today Jesus restores the sight of a blind man, a person who knew nothing of light from his infancy. The miracle was performed on the man, but the attention was turned to the one who performed it. Who touched his eyes and made him see? What power did he have? It was an occasion for the Lord to reveal himself, first to the former blind man, and then to the crowds: I am the Light of the world!
We all need light. But we need to open our eyes to see it. The blind man had been wanting to open his eyes and bask in the light. All he knew was darkness and he was tired of it all. He needed the light and someone to lead him towards it. He did not protest when Jesus came because he knew in his heart he will be forever free.
Some people think, however that they have the light. They think that the light originates within them and so they do not need anyone to open their eyes. In their pride, they claim they have all the answers, the solutions, the truth they need. In reality, they are blind and only live in a borrowed, temporary light. This was true of the Pharisees, in contrast to the blind man.
This Lenten season choose to become the blind man. Choose to expose the darkness of your thoughts, your weaknesses, your secrets, your deceptions before the Lord. Ask for a little more light to touch your heart that you may see or may see even clearly the goodness of God and your own. This is what Confession promises to give us. The grace of God dispels the darkness of sin so that the Holy Spirit may enter our lives in a new and powerful way.
As for that woman who approached me for consultation, that retreat was the start of a long process of conversion. She recognized her need for the light of Jesus in her life. She longed for the sacraments. She wanted to experience Confession. She wanted to be united with Jesus in Communion. She became a Catholic and enjoyed the light of faith all her life until the end. Let us pray to yearn for the light of Jesus that will lead us to a deeper relationship with Him.
#ourparishpriest 2023
