March 26, 2017

4th Sunday of Lent 1 Samuel 16: 1, 6-7, 10-13; Ephesians 5: 8-14; John 9: 1-41 How well do I see? Do I use glasses or contacts to correct my sight? Do I draw immediate conclusions from what I see? Am I able to see the hand of God at work in the world? Do I witness this just in nature or do I see God's work in people? Am I grateful to God for showing me insights into His mysteries of life? Today's readings ask me to enter into God's world. They ask me to discover God's work in the world. They give helpful suggestions to see as God sees and thus to live as God is leading us to live. Am I listening? Do I see as God sees? A king's role in Israel was one of service to God. King Saul had failed this many, many times. His main concern was taking care of himself and what he wanted. In today's reading God sends the prophet Samuel to Bethlehem where Jesse lived to find a replacement for Saul. Then began the parade of seven of his sons before Samuel but none were acceptable to God. Some of them based on appearance and temperament seemed to be perfect but were rejected by God. Saul also 'looked kingly' but his heart wasn't dedicated to the Lord. But there was one more son, David, who was shepherding the sheep. He was sent for and was the one chosen by God.. Samuel anointed him and "from that day on, the spirit of the Lord rushed upon David." God does what God does. In this case God chose David because "Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart." How difficult it is to see as God sees. Even Jesse did not recognize the worth of David. He thought that Elian would be the best king because he was tall and strong. How could a shepherd boy be trained to be a king? Yet David became the the greatest of Israel's kings. Most of us continue to judge by one's outward appearances. Why? Because we see faces...and it's amazing how plastic surgeons make huge fortunes from making 'faces' pleasing. We wear masks so people can see what WE want them to see. But God sees me and loves me just as I am and helps me, just the way I am to receive all His graces which lead me to the Lord and to heaven. Do I cooperate? Paul's letter to the Ephesians follows the theme of light and darkness which is in today's Gospel of the man born blind. We hide in darkness. We think no one can see us. As a youngster I thought that if I hid in the closet, no one could see me...not even God. I felt that in this darkness I could even hide things from God. And I really didn't want to be found...unless it was dinner or treat time. Mom's fresh made cookies always drew me 'back to reality.' Why do I want to hide from God? Is it my fear of being punished? Is it my fear of being discovered, just like Adam and Eve were? The fear of being punished is a huge left-over from our youth. The punishment somehow deprived me of something I wanted. Don't I want to be with God? Don't I want to continue to bask in His love each day? Paul is telling us that when we are committed to Christ we walk in His light and put away our selfish ways and our shameful living. When we live like this we feel totally 'alive'. When we live and let sin dominate our lives, we hide, not wanting anyone to see our good, the good in ourselves or that we are 'no-good'. Is this the way we want to be viewed? In the Gospel...Jesus herald the man born blind. This miracle is unique because the man never asked to be healed by Jesus. Jesus is the assertive one who didn't even speak to the blind man before He healed him. The healed man referred throughout the passage to 'the man called Jesus....He is a prophet...He is the son of man." The story does not focus on the healing but on his parents, the neighbors, the Pharisees, the Sabbath violation and the investigation into the man who had actually been born blind. The leaders try to focus on the blindness of these 'witnesses' while avoiding their own blindness. So where am I blind? Why do I try to analyze people or their behaviors? Why do I have the need to be right in my opinions? We can continue along these lines: the disciples were convincing that the blindness was caused by God for some sin that was present either in the man or in his parents and this was the reason for his blindness. The religious leaders saw this miracle as a threat to their power, authority and prestige with the people. They were the leaders and didn't want this taken away from them. Even the man's parents were willing to disown him rather than getting in trouble with the authorities. So I look at what are my priorities? What makes me anxious? What am I afraid of? Why do I seem so often to be negative rather than seeing the good in others? In a nutshell: how am I blind to God? In the passage, Jesus is opening the eyes of those around Him to see God's constant presence in everyone's life. Sometimes we are so obsessed with trying to find where God is at and why isn't He acting the way that I want Him to act that I miss where He actually is. God can't possible like those poor people...or those type of politicians...or those type of people...because I don't. God just has to agree with me in way that I think and live...Right! Or Right? Or why do I want God to agree with me? It's always easier for things to be this way because then I am always right...just like God. Yet if we see like God, we see beyond our stereotypes and prejudices...we see beyond our failings. We see truth. We see God. Do I really want to see God? The base line of the Gospel is that we can see ourselves in the blind man, not knowing what is happening around him and where he is going to go now? WE see ourselves as the Pharisees continue in their own ways and refusing to be open to the 'ways' of God. WE can see ourselves as the man's parents did by distancing themselves from this special healing by not wanting to be involved in any way. But in hiding, we miss out on the truth which can set us free. In the Gospel, John masterfully shows us how God is involved in our lives. He doesn't want us to live in our fears, our greed, or our prejudices. So I reflect on: ~ As I look at my pass, where has my blindness kept me in the dark and unable to see God working in my life? Do this come when I am preoccupied? Or when I am set in my ways? Or when I was living in my 'convenient' sin I didn't want to give up? ~ When I disagree with a person or a class of people and feel that they are 'absolutely wrong' or 'bad' or whatever, does that mean that I don't have to pray for them anymore? OR do I feel I have to pray more often for them? How would I win these souls for Christ? ~ Does God cause the suffering I have? Or do I cause some of my own suffering? Do I blame God for my suffering? ~ Does sharing my hurts and concern with others help to lessen my pain? ~ Do I pray for all people who are hurting or just those 'select' few that I like? Sacred Space 2017 says: "The opening question of the disciples was, 'Who is to blame?' This is a common question in the media today; perhaps it is part of my own vocabulary. Jesus reminds us that sometimes no one is to blame but that difficult situations present an opportunity for us to be drawn in to God's presence. Lord there were times I was lost and found, was blind and then could see. Thank You. The man's blindness is cured, but the blindness of those who won't believe in Jesus remains. I think of how I grope, stumble, and am unsure of my direction unless I can rely on Jesus, the light of the world