Lent Week 4

Darkness To Light

“I am the Light of the world”

John 8:12

Gospel of St. John 9:1-5; 35-41

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

 

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.  His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

“Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”

Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”

Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”

Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”

Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

Are we blind too?

The story of the Blind Man highlights a community with turbulent social and religious issues focused on: blame, judgment, fear of neighbors and authorities, family separation, and ridicule by the powerful. This could be our reality today. 

The challenges of this divided community, the story moves from darkness to light. The blind beggar is washed clean and his eyes are opened. 

Moving from Darkness to Light…

When we enter into awareness and enlightenment we too may find that like this blind beggar whose eyes are opened experience what he faced in the Gospel Story.

• Harsh judgment of others
• Subjected to inquisition
• Abandoned by loved ones and friends;
• Ridiculed
• Thrown out and shunned by civil and religious groups

What has the light of the Gospel cost you? 

What would you risk to keep it alight?

How is Jesus’ way of seeing different from our culture’s way of seeing?

The blind man’s response is: “I do believe, Lord”.  Each of us is called to believe and transform our lives and our society through our discipleship and the following of Jesus’ Way.  We pray for courage and wisdom as we move from darkness into the light.

Litany of Light

                       

V. Lord, have mercy on us.

R. Christ, have mercy on us.

V. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.

R. Christ, graciously hear us.

V. God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Christ, Light of the World, hear us.

Holy Mother of God, pray for us.

Mother of the New Dawn, pray for us.

Holy Trinity, source of all light, illuminate the darkness in our world:

To the minds of those dimmed by sin, bring your light.

To the hearts of those gripped by pornography, bring your light.

To those suffering depression or mental illness, bring your light.

To the souls enslaved by substance abuse, bring your light.

To those burdened by same-sex attraction, bring your light.

To those gripped by anxiety and fear, bring your light.

To the hearts of those who mourn, bring your light.

To the souls and bodies of abusers and the abused, bring your light.

To those with no place to call home, bring your light.

To those intent on killing in the name of God, bring your light.

To abortion clinics, bring your light.

To brothels and human-trafficking locations, bring your light.

To hospitals, pharmacies and nursing homes, bring your light.

To classrooms of despair, confusion and falsehood, bring your light.

To violent and drug-infested streets, bring your light.

To war-torn territories, bring your light.

To lands darkened, flooded, or destroyed by natural disasters, bring your light.

Wherever there is confusion, despair, loneliness and anger, bring your light.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

St. Mary Magdalene, pray for us.

St. Lucy, pray for us.

St. Augustine, pray for us.

St. Hildegard of Bingen, pray for us.

St. Claire, pray for us.

St. Albert the Great, pray for us.

St. Thomas Aquinas, pray for us.

St. Bonaventure, pray for us.

All the Choirs of Angels, pray for us.

Mary, Light in the Darkness, pray for us.

V. Light of the World, who take away the sins of the world,

R. spare us, O Lord.

V. Light of the World, who take away the sins of the world,

R. graciously hear us, O Lord.

V. Light of the World, who take away the sins of the world,

R. have mercy on us.

Amen.