This past Sunday was the 4th Sunday of Lent, also known as Laetare Sunday, which means Rejoice! It might seem strange to you that we have a whole Sunday dedicated to rejoicing during such a somber season like Lent, but we need to remember that Lent isn't all about suffering and sorrow. A lot of times, we forget that Lent is not leading up to Good Friday, a day of sorrow and suffering, but rather to the joy and beauty of the Resurrection at Easter! That's one reason why we were called to rejoice this past Sunday.
Remember, in the Gospel right at the beginning of Lent, Jesus told us not to pray where everyone can see us, like the hypocrites do. He told us not to look gloomy while fasting and not to expect praise and recognition for our almsgiving. This is the perfect week to remind ourselves of that!
In the past weeks, we've reflected on how to let Jesus fix our brokenness and make us new again, how to discern God in our lives and truly allow ourselves to become His hands and feet in the world, and how to let Jesus quench our spiritual thirst with His life-giving water when the world is trying to dehydrate us. If we've truly reflected on these things (and others, of course!), we should certainly be growing in our faith and drawing closer to Christ. Isn't that reason to rejoice?
This Sunday, the second reading from Ephesians spoke of how we were once darkness, but now we are light in the Lord, children of light. Not that we were in darkness and are now in light, but rather that we were darkness and now are light itself. What the heck does that mean?! Light represents good and beauty very often, so we are called to be God's goodness and beauty in the world. We need to seek what is good and pleases the Lord, and turn away from the things of darkness. At the end of the reading, it says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light."
In the gospel reading, we hear about how Jesus heals the blind man. This goes right along with our theme of darkness and light from the second reading. The man in the gospel was blind from birth, and because of his blindness, he couldn't do any work and was reduced to begging on the street. Jesus heals him of his blindness and shocked everyone, including the Jews and the Pharisees. In questioning the man about how he gained his vision back, the man slowly realizes that Jesus truly is the Son of Man, the Lord.
How often do we find ourselves stumbling through life, blind in the darkness of sin? We cannot see the light by ourselves, no matter how hard we try, just as the blind man could not see. But how blessed are we to have Jesus to open our eyes and bring us from darkness into light? All we need to do is agree to let Him heal us and obey His commands.
So, this Lent, figure out what's making you blind and keeping you in darkness. Allow Jesus to heal you and bring you into the light. Awake, O sleeper, arise from slumber; Christ is calling your name.
Remember, in the Gospel right at the beginning of Lent, Jesus told us not to pray where everyone can see us, like the hypocrites do. He told us not to look gloomy while fasting and not to expect praise and recognition for our almsgiving. This is the perfect week to remind ourselves of that!
In the past weeks, we've reflected on how to let Jesus fix our brokenness and make us new again, how to discern God in our lives and truly allow ourselves to become His hands and feet in the world, and how to let Jesus quench our spiritual thirst with His life-giving water when the world is trying to dehydrate us. If we've truly reflected on these things (and others, of course!), we should certainly be growing in our faith and drawing closer to Christ. Isn't that reason to rejoice?
This Sunday, the second reading from Ephesians spoke of how we were once darkness, but now we are light in the Lord, children of light. Not that we were in darkness and are now in light, but rather that we were darkness and now are light itself. What the heck does that mean?! Light represents good and beauty very often, so we are called to be God's goodness and beauty in the world. We need to seek what is good and pleases the Lord, and turn away from the things of darkness. At the end of the reading, it says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light."
In the gospel reading, we hear about how Jesus heals the blind man. This goes right along with our theme of darkness and light from the second reading. The man in the gospel was blind from birth, and because of his blindness, he couldn't do any work and was reduced to begging on the street. Jesus heals him of his blindness and shocked everyone, including the Jews and the Pharisees. In questioning the man about how he gained his vision back, the man slowly realizes that Jesus truly is the Son of Man, the Lord.
How often do we find ourselves stumbling through life, blind in the darkness of sin? We cannot see the light by ourselves, no matter how hard we try, just as the blind man could not see. But how blessed are we to have Jesus to open our eyes and bring us from darkness into light? All we need to do is agree to let Him heal us and obey His commands.
So, this Lent, figure out what's making you blind and keeping you in darkness. Allow Jesus to heal you and bring you into the light. Awake, O sleeper, arise from slumber; Christ is calling your name.
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