St. Mary's Catholic Church of Tomahawk, WI

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

We are in the fourth Sunday of Lent, Year A. The first reading tells us about the anointing of David as the King of Israel by the prophet Samuel. While King Saul was still in the office, God chose David to be anointed as King. Samuel was told by God that man sees the appearance, but the Lord looks into the heart. How important it is for us to reflect on these words and to become aware of the sacredness and purity of our inner self. Do the Lenten observances motivate us in the way the Lord perceives us?

The second reading is drawn from a larger ethical exhortation that distinguishes believers from non-believers. The separation between the two groups is expressed in the language using light and darkness. Before becoming the believers they lived in darkness and operated in secret. As believers they are the children of light producing every kind of goodness, righteousness and truth. Let us reflect during this Lent whether we try to put away works of darkness and to live the life of the children of light.

In the gospel we hear about the miracle of a man born blind obtaining sight by the Lord. St. John in his gospel skillfully employs such significant encounters to deepen the faith of those who believe and to spark faith in those who seek insight. The reason this man was born blind was not the result of some sin, but to direct others by the Lord to God’s glory. The man born blind moves from blindness to physical sight and to spiritual insight into Jesus’s identity. Whereas the Pharisees move the opposite direction. All this unfolds amid rich symbolism. Which way do we move? Does Lent help us to obtain spiritual insights?

Fr. Aloysius Royan Anthony