Fourth Sunday of Lent - Year A
March 26, 2017
Gospel: JN 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38
As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth. He
spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his
eyes, and said to him, "Go wash in the Pool of Siloam" - which means
Sent -. So he went and washed, and came back able to see.
His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a
beggar said, "Isn't this the one who used to sit and beg?" Some said,
"It is, " but others said, "No, he just looks like him." He
said, "I am."
They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees (1).
Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath (2). So then the Pharisees
also asked him how he was able to see. He said to them, "He put clay on my
eyes, and I washed, and now I can see." So some of the Pharisees said, "This
man is not from God, because he does not keep the sabbath." But others
said, "How can a sinful man do such signs (3)?" And there was a division among
them. So they said to the blind man again, "What do you have to say about
him, since he opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."
They answered and said to him, "You were born
totally in sin, and are you trying to teach us?" Then they threw him out.
When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he
found him and said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man (4)?" He answered
and said, "Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?" Jesus said to
him, "You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he." He
said, "I do believe, Lord," and he worshiped him.
http://www.usccb.org
The difficult words
(1)The Pharisees are Jews who try to remain
faithful to Moses' law, even in the smallest arts of daily life. Jesus
criticizes them for too severely judging those who don't live like they do.
(2)In the Jewish religion, the sabbath is the seventh day of the week,
or Saturday.
No work was allowed on the
sabbath.
(3)Signs are miracles.
(4)The Son of Man is another name for the
Messiah, Jesus.
This week’s spotlight
The anointing of David
In the Bible, a person had to be anointed in order to become king.
Anointing was a beautiful gesture in which a special oil was poured onto the
person's head. In our first reading at Mass today, God sends Samuel to Jesse's
home so that he can anoint his son David and make him the next king of Israel.
Sunday of joy
Today, the Fourth Sunday of Lent, we are halfway down the path that
takes us to Easter. Just as if we were on a hike in the mountains, we take a
break at the halfway point and look back with satisfaction at how far we have
traveled already. The readings at Mass today invite us to stop and look with
joy at the wonders that the Lord does for us. This Sunday is called Laetere
Sunday, or the Sunday of joy. So let's be joyful! Let us all take delight that
we are on the road toward Easter, where we will meet our risen Lord!
Reflection
Live in the light
The blind man in the Gospel cannot see the light. He
needs others to help him find his way. His need for help, however, has made his
heart more open to the light of Christ. When he finally met Jesus, he was cured
and was able to see truly for the first time! Meeting Jesus made the man’s
whole life change: the man was blind, but now he could see. There are times in
our lives when we feel blind. We may be trying to make a decision, but we may
sometimes feel confused about where to turn. That’s when we need to open our
hearts to Christ so that he can give us the help we need. Fortunately, we have
already met Jesus and received his light in baptism. He will guide us safely
along the way to God. He will open our eyes to the beauty of the world and to
the needs of others. The light of Christ gives us new eyes so that we can live
as children of light, as children of God!
Discussion questions
1.What happens when Jesus meets the blind man ?
2.How does Jesus heal the man?
3.What happens after the blind man is cured?
4.What does the man come to believe about Jesus?
After
receiving Holy Communion,
you can say this prayer silently to yourself. If you
have not yet
received your First Communion, you can still say this prayer because of your desire to
receive Jesus.
Father, through Jesus, in
communion with the whole Church, I thank you for coming into my heart. Thank
you for sending us Jesus, the light of the world. May this Communion in his
Body and Blood open the eyes of my heart to see your beauty in the world, and
to notice the needs of others.
This week…
Turn
toward the light
Think of the people who brighten
your week with smiles and acts of kindness. Their joy and care remind you of
God’s love for you. Thus they help you to turn toward the light and to walk
with Jesus. Pray for them and thank God for their love.
Live as a child of
light
Count how many people smiled at you today. Tomorrow,
try to give others two more smiles than you received today. For example, if you
received thirteen smiles today, then give out fifteen smiles tomorrow. Some
days will have more smiles than others, but don't worry: your smiles and joy
help you show the light of the Lord!
Word Jumble
Source: usccb.org
- Magnifikid - sermons4kids.com – rclblectionary.com
–usccb.org/bible/readings-audio.cfm