The gospel this weekend, Laetare Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Lent, is the story of the healing of the man born blind. This is a sign, a miracle, performed by Jesus to show clearly that he is the promised Messiah, and that following Him will lead us all to walk in the light. Unlike the blind man, we cannot look directly into the face of Jesus, but we can recognize Jesus in the face of others. If we use the eyes of faith we can recognize Jesus embodied in: the teacher who sees potential in every student; in the parent who looks at their child with sheer delight; in the child who watches out for others, not just their friends. However, there is another way to notice and a more challenging reality to grapple with. That is, our responsibility for the homeless person, the troubled or troublesome child, the old person who has outlived family and friends. It is on us, as Christians, to be the embodiment of Christ, the ‘light of the world’, for them.
How will we challenge ourselves to be the ones who lift others up, who serve as their light in the darkness? May we all let the healing light of Christ come to our hearts during this Lenten season, so that we can assist in the work of building His kingdom, letting our light join with our fellow parishioners to build His kingdom together. May our preparation for Easter lead us all to appreciate the light of our Risen Lord in our lives.
Thank you all so much for beginning Lent so well. Our Ash Wednesday collection allowed us to send $8,883.00 to Beth El Shelter. Our parishioners’ generosity is so commendable.