Reflection – 4th Sunday of Lent

SCROLL DOWN FOR CHILDREN’S LITURGY QUESTIONS

FROM FATHER SIXMUND HENRY

Gospel: Gospel of John (John 9:1–41).

The Gospel of the Fourth Sunday of Lent presents the powerful story of the man born blind. In this passage, Jesus restores his physical sight, but the deeper message of the story is about spiritual sight—the ability to recognize God’s presence and truth in our lives. At the beginning of the story, the disciples ask Jesus who sinned to cause the man’s blindness. This question reflects a common human tendency: we often look for someone to blame when suffering appears. Jesus, however, shifts their perspective. Instead of focusing on blame, he reveals that God can work through even the most difficult situations so that His works may be made visible.

The healing itself is simple but profound. Jesus makes mud, places it on the man’s eyes, and tells him to wash. The man obeys, and he begins to see. His sight is not only physical; as the story unfolds, his understanding of Jesus grows. At first, he calls Jesus “the man called Jesus.” Later he recognizes him as a prophet, and finally he professes faith in him as the Son of Man. His journey becomes a journey of faith.

The season of Lent invites us to reflect on this reality in our own lives. Lent is a time when the Church calls us to prayer, fasting, and acts of charity. These practices are not simply religious obligations; they are ways of allowing God to open our eyes. Through prayer we learn to see God’s presence. Through fasting we become aware of our dependence on God. Through charity we begin to see Christ in others, especially the poor and the suffering. Human life itself is a journey similar to that of the man born blind. Many times, we walk in partial darkness. We may struggle with doubts, weaknesses, or mistakes. Sometimes we fail to recognize God’s guidance in our daily experiences. Yet Lent reminds us that Christ continues to approach us just as he approached the blind man. He touches our lives, invites our cooperation, and gradually leads us toward deeper understanding.

This Gospel encourages each of us to ask an honest question during this Lenten season: Where in my life do, I still need God to open my eyes? Perhaps it is in our relationships, where we need to see others with more compassion. Perhaps it is in our faith, where we need to trust God more deeply. Perhaps it is in our priorities, where we need to rediscover what truly matters. The good news of this Gospel is that Jesus does not abandon us in darkness. He comes as the light of the world, guiding us step by step toward greater faith. When we allow him to touch our lives, our vision slowly becomes clearer. Like the man in the Gospel, we move from confusion to recognition, and finally to faith.

As we continue our Lenten journey, may we ask the Lord for the grace to see more clearly—
to see God in our lives, to see others with love, and to see the path that leads us closer to Him. May this season of Lent become for each of us a time when our spiritual sight is renewed and our faith grows stronger.

CHILDREN’S LITURGY QUESTIONS

1. Did Jesus heal a man who was blind from birth? — Yes
2. Did the blind man see people before Jesus healed him? — No
3. Did Jesus put mud on the man’s eyes? — Yes
4. Did Jesus tell the man to wash in the Pool of Siloam? — Yes
5. Did the man refuse to do what Jesus told him? — No
6. Did the man come back able to see? — Yes
7. Did the neighbors notice that the man could now see? — Yes
8. Did everyone immediately believe the miracle without asking questions? — No
9. Did some Pharisees question the man about what happened? — Yes
10. Did the man say that Jesus helped him see? — Yes
11. Did the Pharisees all believe that Jesus came from God? — No
12. Did the parents of the man confirm he had been blind? — Yes
13. Did the man say that Jesus was a sinner? — No
14. Did the man bravely tell the truth about Jesus? — Yes
15. Did the leaders become angry with him? — Yes
16. Did they throw the man out because of his testimony? — Yes
17. Did Jesus later find the man again? — Yes
18. Did Jesus ask him if he believed in the Son of Man? — Yes
19. Did the man believe in Jesus and worship Him? — Yes
20. Does this Gospel teach us that Jesus brings light to our lives? — Yes