Fourth Sunday of Lent
OUR Lenten journey continues as we begin our fourth week of preparation for the commemoration of the Lord’s Paschal Mystery which culminates on Easter Sunday. Easter Sunday is a time for Christians to renew their baptismal promises – a promise to reject sin and to believe in the Triune God. Christians are not only expected to profess it with their lips but with their lives; a Christian must be a witness to the life of Christ who died and rose again for all.
The liturgical readings today invite all Christians – followers of Jesus – to prepare for the renewal of the baptismal promises by living always in the light of Christ Jesus. There have been moments in the individual and collective lives of Christians where the darkness of sin has blackened their vision. There have been moments where, instead of choosing life, death has become the norm of society and the voice of God is no longer heeded. The season of Lent is an opportune time for conversion, for turning once more to Jesus Christ who is the light of the world. Christians are thus invited during this season to always live in the light and must not succumb to darkness.
Living in the light means using the “optic” of God in relating with our neighbor (cf. 1 Samuel 16:1-6-7, 10-13) This means that a Christian must not use external appearances as a determinant of how a neighbor must be treated. A Christian must go beyond external appearances and look at the innate goodness of each person. God never treats humans as subordinates but as his children. As God treats humanity with a heart full of love, so must humanity recognize the goodness in one another.
This Fourth week of Lent is a good time to do some examination of conscience and try to think of the moments where individually or collectively we have lived without morals, without restraint, without care and concern for others and for the environment, without compassion for the marginalized in society, without truth and freedom, and completely without God. Let us then turn away from these dark moments and resolve to always live in the light. As Jesus brought to the light the blind man, we too will be led into the light if we allow Jesus to touch our eyes and open them to the light, who is himself. Jesus himself is the light that will guide us to the path to the Father’s house.
As we are led to the light, let us also radiate the light to others that they too may experience the joy of walking in the light of Christ. As we prepare for Easter, let us no longer approach darkness but always be led by the light of Christ and let us share that light with others through our witnessing to the gospel of life.