Fourth Sunday in Lent

We each have certain ‘blind spots’ preventing us from seeing clearly. Perhaps we are blind to the many gifts of life so freely given to us by our loving God. Maybe we are blind to the quiet and mysterious Divine Energy present in every living being with whom we live and move and share this, our Common Home.

At times we are blind to the needs of others – the frail or elderly who need patience and care, the young who need our encouragement and support, the ones daily living with depression or other mental illnesses, or those closest to us in our families and community who we too often take for granted.

Each day the newspapers, radio and TV challenge us to truly see the desperate need of so many in our world. Dare we ‘see’ the needs of the starving women, men and children in Africa, the millions of displaced people seeking asylum and refuge from persecution, conflict, discrimination? Can we see the plight of the homeless in our cities, those suffering the devastating impact of climate change or the vulnerable ones being trafficked and exploited in every country of the world?

In this fourth week of Lent, let us pray, that with the help of Jesus, we too will be healed of our blindness.

May we hear God’s invitation to move out of the darkness of ignorance, prejudice or apathy which blind us and “be like children of the light.” (Ephesians 5:8). Just as the blind man’s trust enabled Jesus to heal his blindness (John 9:1-41), let us trust God’s healing power to open our eyes and help us discover how we can act against “the futile works of darkness” and do our part to bring about justice for all.

The following offer useful reflections for the coming week:

https://sacredheartmessenger.com/jn-91-41/

http://www.catholicreligiousaustralia.org.au/resources/gospel-reflections/the-blind-come-to-see