Fourth Sunday of Lent — πΉ LΓ¦tare Sunday
π Today's Readings
- First Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1, 6–7, 10–13
- Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 23:1–3a, 3b–4, 5, 6
- Second Reading: Ephesians 5:8–14
- Gospel: John 9:1–41 (The Man Born Blind)
π️ "The Lord Sees Not as Man Sees — He Sees the Heart"
π Reflection
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Today is LΓ¦tare Sunday — "Rejoice Sunday." Rose vestments appear on the altar. The Church pauses in the middle of Lent to catch her breath and taste, even now, the joy that Easter brings. We are more than halfway through the desert. The light is nearer than it was.
And what a set of readings for a day of joy!
Samuel goes to anoint a new king from Jesse's sons. One by one the strong, tall, impressive sons pass before him. Each time, God says: not this one. Then the youngest is called in from the fields — David, the shepherd boy, the overlooked one. And God says: "Rise and anoint him, for this is he." The Lord does not see as man sees. Man looks at appearances; God looks at the heart.
In the Gospel, a man born blind receives his sight from Jesus. It is one of the longest, most dramatic stories in all of John's Gospel. What strikes us is not just the miracle, but the contrast. The man who was physically blind now sees — and grows in faith step by step, until he falls at Jesus' feet and worships Him.
Meanwhile, the Pharisees, who have perfect physical sight, grow increasingly blind. They cannot see what is happening before their eyes because their pride will not let them.
Saint Paul puts it beautifully in today's Second Reading: "You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light."
Lent is a journey from blindness to sight. Day by day, the scales fall. We begin to see ourselves more honestly, see God more clearly, see our neighbour with greater compassion.
Today we rejoice — not because the work is done, but because the light is already at work in us.
π‘ One Simple Message for Today God does not see as we see — He sees the heart. Let Him look at yours today with love, not judgment.
π A Prayer for Today
Lord, open my eyes as You opened the eyes of the man born blind. Help me to see You in my life — in my joys, in my struggles, in the faces of those around me. Walk with me as my shepherd through the remaining days of Lent. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. Amen.
πΏ Lenten Practice for Today
Today, do one act of kindness for someone whom others overlook — the quiet person, the lonely colleague, the forgotten neighbour. See them as God sees them: precious.
May the Lord bless you and keep you close to His Sacred Heart this holy season. π️
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