Corinne Kilkeary 4th Sunday of Lent - Adult Reflection
Are you following your Lenten Plan, have you checked off all the boxes? Pray, fast, give alms, confession…maybe trying to do a little more than last year because you didn’t really “feel” it then? It is admirable, but are we on the right path? Do we see what we are preparing for? I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life. Are our eyes open to God’s light? Or are we blinded by distractions?
This week’s readings have a common theme: opening our eyes, going from darkness to light, from blind to seeing. Samuel and Jesse were blind to God’s anointed one, thinking that older, stronger brothers would be chosen to be anointed as the King. But no, we get David, unassuming, small, unnoticed, but faithful. Trusting God’s choice, Samuel anoints the unlikely ancestor of our Lord. Samuel did not let his blindness to God’s will prevent him from anointing the shepherd boy. God sees differently than we do. We see the surface; God sees deeply into our hearts. Samuel’s faith was not blinded by popular opinions.
In John’s gospel, Jesus cures a blind man, opens his eyes, literally and spiritually. The blind man, at the end, is able to see and to accept that Jesus is the Messiah, the anointed one of God. Why are the Pharisees unable to see this? They are holy men of God. They follow the law of Moses. They await the messiah, also. Wouldn’t they be jumping for joy at this miracle, praising God that their time had come? But they are not. They consider the blind man a sinner and Jesus a blasphemer who breaks the Sabbath. Blinded by the letter of Moses’ Law, the Pharisees are unwilling/unable to see the Light right in front of them.
Are we blinded by life, blinded by our culture and what the Earthly world tells us is important or should deserve our attention? We falter in our attempts to grow closer to God because we see the world though our own broken sight, distracted by things God deems unimportant. So perfect are God’s ways, how can we possibly question Him? And yet we all do, daily. Often, we allow ourselves to be blinded by what we believe is the truth. We live our lives with our hands on the steering wheel and foot on the gas. But we are not in control… there are so many things that happen over which we have no control, it becomes angering and frustrating. Even making sure we are doing all we promised for Lent can be a source of interference with growing closer to God, if we look at it as merely a task to get done.
God wants us to share in His ways, focus on Him alone. He sent His son to walk among us, share in our humanity: trials, temptations, all of it. Jesus is our model of human life lived perfectly. Utter faith in the Father’s plan, walking in full trust with His eyes wide open. Yes, Jesus wanted to alter the course, but not His will but God’s will be done. Jesus accepted that. He lived life in the Father’s light, shining it for all to follow. God wants nothing more than our hand in His and our feet following His steps.
When, then, will we see the Lord’s light? When will we open our eyes, free ourselves from distractions that blind us? Even the most noble jobs, the most righteous pursuits, can keep us so busy and focused that we fail to open our eyes to the gifts our Heavenly Father wants to share with us each day. We can busy ourselves, but stay blind to Christ’s light living in us, unwilling to let it out or share it with others because we are too busy trying to do good.
St. Paul calls us to arise from darkness into the Light of Christ. Slow down, listen to God speaking to you, calling to you in your heart, through other people, through His Sacred Word. Allow yourself the time to be still and know that He is the Lord. Giving God your faith and your time will allow Him to accomplish mighty things in His way, not in ours. Trust in God to show you the way, let His light be a beacon from your heart to those around you.
Then we can sing the Psalm of David: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Is this David’s response to his anointing? The psalm shows full trust and faith in the ways of God. Faithfully following the light of the Lord, accepting His Word and giving Him our “Yes!”, we become akin to our blessed Mother Mary: Lord, let it be done to me as you say. Keeping our eyes wide open.