Sunday, March 6, 2005
4th Sunday of Lent

1st Reading: 1st Samuel 16:1,6-7,10-13
David's anointing

In those days Yahweh asked Samuel, "How long will you be grieving over Saul whom I have rejected as king of Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way to Jesse the Bethlehemite for I have chosen my king from among his sons."

As they came, Samuel looked at Eliab the older and thought, "This must be Yahweh's anointed." But Yahweh told Samuel, "Do not judge by his looks or his stature for I have rejected him. Yahweh does not judge as man judges; humans see with the eyes; Yahweh sees the heart."

Jesse presented seven of his sons to Samuel who said, "Yahweh has chosen none of them. But are all your sons here?" Jesse replied, "There is still the youngest, tending the flock just now." Samuel said to him, "Send for him and bring him to me; we shall not sit down to eat until he arrives." So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him to Samuel. He was a handsome lad with ruddy complexion and beautiful eyes. And Yahweh spoke, "Go, anoint him for he is the one." Samuel then took the horn of oil and anointed him in his brothers' presence. From that day onwards, Yahweh's Spirit took hold of David.

2nd Reading: Ephesians 5:8-14
Christ will shine on you

Brothers and sisters, you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Behave as children of light; the fruits of light are kindness, justice and truth in every form.

You yourselves search out what pleases the Lord, and take no part in works of darkness that are of no benefit; expose them instead. Indeed it is a shame even to speak of what those people do in secret, but as soon as it is exposed to the light, everything becomes clear. And what has become clear becomes light. Therefore it is said: "Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead that the light of Christ may shine on you."

Gospel: John 9:1-41 or 1,6-9,13-17,34-38
I was blind and now I can see

As Jesus walked along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. He made paste with spittle and clay and rubbed it on the eyes of the blind man. Then he said, "Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam." (This name means sent.) So he went and washed and came back able to see.

His neighbors and all the people who used to see him begging, wondered. They said, "Isn't this the beggar who used to sit here?" Some said, "It's the one." Others said, "No, but he looks like him." But the man himself said, "I am the one."

The people brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made mud paste and opened his eyes. The Pharisees asked him again, "How did you recover your sight?" And he said, "He put paste on my eyes, and I washed, and now I see." Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he works on the sabbath"; but others wondered, "How can a sinner perform such miraculous signs?" They were divided and they questioned the blind man again, "What do you think of this man who opened your eyes?" And he answered, "He is a prophet."

They answered him, "You were born a sinner and now you teach us!" And they expelled him.

Jesus heard that they had expelled him. He found him and said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" He answered, "Who is he, that I may believe in him?" Jesus said, "You have seen him and he is speaking to you. He said, "Lord, I believe"; and he worshiped him.

Commentary

YAHWEH sees with the heart. And Yahweh's spirit takes over a person (like David) from the moment he is anointed. The blind man is anointed with Jesus' spit and when he washes in the pool, in obedience to Jesus' word, the Spirit begins to take him over. With each encounter, each confrontation he grows stronger and aligns himself more and more with the person of Jesus, until he is thrown out from the temple. Jesus finds him and reveals himself to him as the Son of Man, persecuted and rejected (as the blind man was because he stood up for Jesus). Lord, you see into our hearts-let your Spirit deepen in us and make us stand up for you and what you speak as the truth, the way and the life for all peoples. And may we know you as the Son of Man, crucified, risen from the dead and the Light, the judge of the world.

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