Readings for the Fourth Sunday of Lent[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a
As the story of Samuel the Seer continues (we are still not calling him a prophet), we find him deeply troubled over God’s decision to remove Saul as King of Israel. God sends Samuel to the house of Jesse in Bethlehem to anoint the next king whom God has now found.
After going through all of Jesse’s sons the Lord finally instructs Samuel to anoint the youngest, David, who is not present but tending the sheep. This anointing is the first of three David will receive. The other two will come after the death of Saul.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Continuing the theme of shepherding the flock we have the most popular Psalm in all of Holy Scripture. While the theme of Shepherd is mentioned in the first strophe, the psalm really speaks to the peace given to those who follow, even into the “dark valley”.
Reading II Eph 5:8-14
As is typical in St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle uses language in this passage that is almost liturgical or hypnotic (the last paragraph most especially was probably taken from a hymn likely used at baptisms). His expression here is that Christ who is the light of truth to the world has handed on this light to his followers who in their turn are to live as children of the light (this passage is the justification for the modern baptismal prayer at the presentation of the baptismal candle as well as foundational for the Easter Candle.).
Gospel John 9:1-41
The story of the healing of the man born blind is the sixth sign that Jesus is the Son of God from St. John’s Gospel. In this story we are presented with Jesus as “The light of the world”. The story provides a number of key theological points that help understand the mission of Christ.
The first of these points is the understanding that sin is not inherited. The Jews believed that the man born blind had inherited sin ("Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?") This understanding would have been shared by the Pharisees in that it was supported by both tradition and Old Testament Scripture (Exodus 20:5).
Next we see that the Pharisees are accusing Jesus of violating the Sabbath, considering it “work” to cure a person on that day when all work was to cease. The logic that flowed from this was that Jesus could not he a Prophet (much less the Messiah) if he did not keep the scrupulous Pharisaic Laws governing the Sabbath.
The references to the miracle were clearly disturbing to the people of the Jewish community as we hear even the parents of the man born blind avoiding validating Jesus’ standing as prophet or Messiah for fear of be called blasphemous and being thrown out or shunned by the faith community. This is what happened to the man born blind as he continued to argue that Jesus was from God and that he was the Messiah. This reaction/rejection attitude about Jesus as Messiah was formalized around 85 A.D. when the curse against the minim or heretics was introduced into the "Eighteen Benedictions."
Or John 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38
The shorter form of the story omits the iterative nature of the questioning of the Pharisees, the own condemnation as being blind, and skips straight to Jesus’ profession of faith and that of the man born blind as we he replied to Jesus question concerning his identity with the profession: “’I do believe, Lord,’ and he worshiped him.”
Reflection:
Of all the miracles the Lord performed from changing the water to wine at the marriage feast at Cana to healing the ear of servant struck by Peter’s sword the story given today is perhaps the most profound. The man born blind from birth being healed by Christ serves as both a profession of the identity of Jesus and as a metaphor for his mission and indeed of God’s entire plan for us.
Holy Scripture leads us there today. It begins with a series of reminders. We are first reminded of the promise of the prophets as we hear from the First Book of Samuel about the anointing of David. David, the son of Jessie, was the King of Israel whose dynasty was promised to be perpetuated for all time. He was the shoot from the stump of Jessie that produced the vine and branches that lead to the Messiah foretold by the prophets and celebrated during the Advent season.
We are reminded too of our own baptism as we were anointed in ancient ritual as a priestly people. We too were anointed – made sacred for him who we worship. We too were dedicated to God’s service as David was in that first reading. It floods back to us as we continue in the holy words of the Twenty Third Psalm. He leads us and protects us even in the face of our enemies, that Good Shepherd.
The Apostle Paul then reminds us of yet another part of our baptismal awakening as we recall that because our eyes have been opened and we have seen the light of Christ, who is the light of the world, we too must be that light. It was captured in us by the Holy Spirit that now lives within us and St. Paul reminds us in a hymn of his own time “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” The death he speaks of is the death of sin. Freed from that fallen state we are called to be light to the world – a promise and a mission.
Finally we come to the Gospel of St. John as he recounts Jesus’ encounter with the blind man. He is not just blind, but born blind. He has never known light, never seen the glories of God’s creation. The Lord opens his eyes and in doing so dispels not only that man’s blindness but reveals God’s love to all those who witness the event. Some forgotten sin has not caused this man’s unfortunate condition. Rather he becomes the instrument of revelation. His first vision, as he washes away the clay placed as a cure upon his eyes, made from the essence of the earth and the essence of God, is the water of life at the pool of Siloam.
Like us at our own baptism, the one blind from birth’s eyes were opened and he sees God’s light, the light of the world for the first time at the hands of light itself. Our whole past flows from that time and place and today we are flooded with that awareness as we see how the Pharisees struggle, trying to understand who this man, Jesus, is and what he came for.
Today we are reminded not only of our purpose as Disciples of Christ, a purpose initiated as we were washed and our eyes were opened in Baptism. We are also given a new measure with which to measure ourselves. Are we children of light, bringing Christ’s love to others or are we not? In all we do we are called to be light.
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture today is “Christ healing the Blind” by El Greco, 1567
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a
As the story of Samuel the Seer continues (we are still not calling him a prophet), we find him deeply troubled over God’s decision to remove Saul as King of Israel. God sends Samuel to the house of Jesse in Bethlehem to anoint the next king whom God has now found.
After going through all of Jesse’s sons the Lord finally instructs Samuel to anoint the youngest, David, who is not present but tending the sheep. This anointing is the first of three David will receive. The other two will come after the death of Saul.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Continuing the theme of shepherding the flock we have the most popular Psalm in all of Holy Scripture. While the theme of Shepherd is mentioned in the first strophe, the psalm really speaks to the peace given to those who follow, even into the “dark valley”.
Reading II Eph 5:8-14
As is typical in St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle uses language in this passage that is almost liturgical or hypnotic (the last paragraph most especially was probably taken from a hymn likely used at baptisms). His expression here is that Christ who is the light of truth to the world has handed on this light to his followers who in their turn are to live as children of the light (this passage is the justification for the modern baptismal prayer at the presentation of the baptismal candle as well as foundational for the Easter Candle.).
Gospel John 9:1-41
The story of the healing of the man born blind is the sixth sign that Jesus is the Son of God from St. John’s Gospel. In this story we are presented with Jesus as “The light of the world”. The story provides a number of key theological points that help understand the mission of Christ.
The first of these points is the understanding that sin is not inherited. The Jews believed that the man born blind had inherited sin ("Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?") This understanding would have been shared by the Pharisees in that it was supported by both tradition and Old Testament Scripture (Exodus 20:5).
Next we see that the Pharisees are accusing Jesus of violating the Sabbath, considering it “work” to cure a person on that day when all work was to cease. The logic that flowed from this was that Jesus could not he a Prophet (much less the Messiah) if he did not keep the scrupulous Pharisaic Laws governing the Sabbath.
The references to the miracle were clearly disturbing to the people of the Jewish community as we hear even the parents of the man born blind avoiding validating Jesus’ standing as prophet or Messiah for fear of be called blasphemous and being thrown out or shunned by the faith community. This is what happened to the man born blind as he continued to argue that Jesus was from God and that he was the Messiah. This reaction/rejection attitude about Jesus as Messiah was formalized around 85 A.D. when the curse against the minim or heretics was introduced into the "Eighteen Benedictions."
Or John 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38
The shorter form of the story omits the iterative nature of the questioning of the Pharisees, the own condemnation as being blind, and skips straight to Jesus’ profession of faith and that of the man born blind as we he replied to Jesus question concerning his identity with the profession: “’I do believe, Lord,’ and he worshiped him.”
Reflection:
Of all the miracles the Lord performed from changing the water to wine at the marriage feast at Cana to healing the ear of servant struck by Peter’s sword the story given today is perhaps the most profound. The man born blind from birth being healed by Christ serves as both a profession of the identity of Jesus and as a metaphor for his mission and indeed of God’s entire plan for us.
Holy Scripture leads us there today. It begins with a series of reminders. We are first reminded of the promise of the prophets as we hear from the First Book of Samuel about the anointing of David. David, the son of Jessie, was the King of Israel whose dynasty was promised to be perpetuated for all time. He was the shoot from the stump of Jessie that produced the vine and branches that lead to the Messiah foretold by the prophets and celebrated during the Advent season.
We are reminded too of our own baptism as we were anointed in ancient ritual as a priestly people. We too were anointed – made sacred for him who we worship. We too were dedicated to God’s service as David was in that first reading. It floods back to us as we continue in the holy words of the Twenty Third Psalm. He leads us and protects us even in the face of our enemies, that Good Shepherd.
The Apostle Paul then reminds us of yet another part of our baptismal awakening as we recall that because our eyes have been opened and we have seen the light of Christ, who is the light of the world, we too must be that light. It was captured in us by the Holy Spirit that now lives within us and St. Paul reminds us in a hymn of his own time “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” The death he speaks of is the death of sin. Freed from that fallen state we are called to be light to the world – a promise and a mission.
Finally we come to the Gospel of St. John as he recounts Jesus’ encounter with the blind man. He is not just blind, but born blind. He has never known light, never seen the glories of God’s creation. The Lord opens his eyes and in doing so dispels not only that man’s blindness but reveals God’s love to all those who witness the event. Some forgotten sin has not caused this man’s unfortunate condition. Rather he becomes the instrument of revelation. His first vision, as he washes away the clay placed as a cure upon his eyes, made from the essence of the earth and the essence of God, is the water of life at the pool of Siloam.
Like us at our own baptism, the one blind from birth’s eyes were opened and he sees God’s light, the light of the world for the first time at the hands of light itself. Our whole past flows from that time and place and today we are flooded with that awareness as we see how the Pharisees struggle, trying to understand who this man, Jesus, is and what he came for.
Today we are reminded not only of our purpose as Disciples of Christ, a purpose initiated as we were washed and our eyes were opened in Baptism. We are also given a new measure with which to measure ourselves. Are we children of light, bringing Christ’s love to others or are we not? In all we do we are called to be light.
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture today is “Christ healing the Blind” by El Greco, 1567
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