Greeting (see Second Reading)

We were darkness once
but now we are light in the Lord.
Wake up from your sleep,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.
May the light of Christ be always with you.
R/ And also with you.

Introduction by the Celebrant

A. Open Our Eyes, Lord

One of the most irritating things in life, in ourselves as well as in others, is when we and people seem blind to what is evident: Why don't they see? Why didn't I see this? We are Christians, people with faith, and in baptism Christ has given us eyes of faith. Yet too often we are blind to God, to people, to the things we should see about ourselves. We ask our Lord in this eucharist to touch and open our eyes to the deeper and beautiful realities of our faith.

B. Let the Lord's Light Shine In You

In our Christian living we are often in the dark. At times we sin, and sin brings darkness. Other times we don't understand very well what our faith asks of us and what God expects us to do, and so we are merely groping in the dark. Today we see how Jesus is looking for us to open our eyes, our minds and our hearts to himself and his Good News. He came into the world to be our light. Let us welcome him as the light of our eyes.

Penitential Act

Sometimes we even refuse to see or face
the wrong we do to God and people
Let us ask for forgiveness and reconciliation.
(PAUSE)
Lord Jesus, touch our eyes
and open them to our failures and sins :
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Jesus Christ, touch our ears
and open them to the cries of the poor and the lonely :
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, touch our hearts
and open them to your love and trust :
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Have mercy on us, Lord,
forgive us all our sins
and fully revive in us the faith of our baptism.
Lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray for the light of faith
(PAUSE)
Father of light,
you close the eyes of those who think they see
because they rely only on their own insights;
you let your Son open the eyes
of those eager for your light.
Let Jesus, the light of the world,
heal us and give us faith and understanding.
Let Jesus restore our sight
that we may see the way
that leads to you and to people,
and at the end of our road
we may see you, our God for ever . R/ Amen.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading Introduction: David's Anointing
      God does not judge a person according to appearances, but he looks at the heart. David, the youngest, is chosen and anointed king.

First Reading: 1 Sam 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a

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.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 23:1-3,3-4,5-6

R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
besides restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

He guides me in right paths for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley;
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and staff that gives me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Second Reading Introduction: Christ Will Shine On You
       The light of Christ shines on us since baptism. We are therefore children of light, called to bring forth fruits of goodness, justice and truth.

Second Reading: Eph 5:8-14

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 Introduction: I Was Blind and Now I Can See
       A man born blind encounters Christ and can see, first with his eyes and then with the eyes of faith. We are that person.

Gospel Reading: Jn 9:1-41 or 9:1, 6-9,13-17, 34-38

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

Scientists tell us that seeing is a learned activity. The rods and cones in the eyes of a baby slowly adjust themselves so that the outside world is seen with increasing clarity.

The restoration of sight to the man born blind is a miracle of a high order. Jesus takes away the physical impediment to the man's sight, and also teaches him how to see.

This gift of sight is something for which we pray during the Lenten season. We pray for greater insight into the will of the Lord, and for the ability to see more clearly the needs of other people in our lives.

General Intercessions

Let us pray to Jesus our Lord, our true light, that he may instill in all of us a personal and committed faith, and let us say: R/ Lord, let your light shine on us.

- For the Church, the People of God, that we may help the light of our Lord shine in this world and proclaim his message of truth and love in the language of our time, let us pray: R/ Lord, let your light shine on us.

- For all those blinded by doubt or despair that they may see again the light of faith through the personal faith of dedicated Christians and the witnessing of the Christian community, let us pray: R/ Lord, let your light shine on us.

- For all who claim to follow Christ, that their eyes may be wide-open to the injusticed in which they share, and that they may help to restore the hopes of people in God's values of truth, dignity and justice, let us pray: R/ Lord, let your light shine on us.

- For victims of oppression and discrimination, for refugees and those struck by disasters, that we may not be blind to their needs but help them carry their burdens, let us pray: R/ Lord, let your light shine on us.

- For our beloved dead, that the Lord may take them into everlasting light and joy, let us pray: R/ Lord, let your light shine on us.

Lord Jesus Christ, let us live in your light. Make us see you, and things, and the people around us as you see them. For you are our Lord for ever and ever. R/ Amen.

Prayer over the Gifts

Father of light,
make us see with eyes of faith
your Son Jesus Christ coming soon among us
in these humble signs of bread and wine.
Help us to recognize him also
in the blind beggar on the sidewalk,
the handicapped in wheel chairs,
the jobless from the slums.
For these too are your Son among us today,
Jesus Christ our brother and Lord. R/ Amen.

Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer

We thank and praise God our Father, who has given us in baptism his Son Jesus as the light of our lives.

Invitation to the Lord's Prayer

With Jesus, the light of our lives,
let us pray to God our Father
to forgive our sins and to set us free
from the darkness of sin : R/ Our Father...

Deliver Us

Deliver us, Lord, from the darkness
of sin and evil
and grant us the peace
that comes from justice and friendship.
Set us free from the prisons we have made
for ourselves and for others
by blind selfishness,
and let the light of your Son shine on us
as we prepare for the full coming
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ . R/ For the kingdom...

Invitation to Communion

This is Jesus, the light of the world.
He came and rubbed our eyes;
we were washed in the font of baptism;
then we could see and believe in him.
Happy are we to be invited
to see his light and eat his bread. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...

Prayer after Communion

God our Father,
wake us up from the night of sin
and the sleep of indifference
by the power of Jesus, your Son.
Let the light of Christ shine in us,
that those around us may discover in us
a bit of the goodness of your Son,
of his compassionate love,
of the truth he spoke
and the new life he brought.
May all people thus give you praise
and see your light for ever and ever . R/ Amen.

Blessing

God has called us through Christ
to be children of light.
May we bear witness in everyday life
to the light of Christ,
in goodness, justice and truth.
And may God bless you for this mission,
that you may be a blessing to all:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit . R/ Amen.

Let us go and be the light of Christ
to all who are willing to see . R/ Thanks be to God.