Fourth Sunday of Lent Year A 2023

Title

The Process of Conversion

Outline

Every conversion is one’s own experience

Some are sudden and dramatic

Think of Saul and David - neither had a thought of kingship and both thought of themselves as a “least” until the prophet encountered them. Then the change was dramatic - the Spirit of God rushed upon them

Some are gradual and hardly perceptible

Some are lasting and some seem transient

But all are ongoing and end in discipleship and right worship

John 9 is paradigmatic in this account

There is a man blind from birth and seen by believers as not only in physical darkness but also spiritual darkness - the issue was not whether someone sinned but who had sinned. The story is an enacting of “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

Jesus sees him as God’s elect, a chosen evangelist, just as Jesus may have seen you or me when others could not see any calling in us.

Jesus heals him in a way that did not require lots of faith - with mud in his eyes he needed to wash - and did not let him fully recognize Jesus. But the pool has in its name a shadow of his calling: “sent”

The transformation was clear, but neither is reality nor its source was believed by all. Yet the man keeps repeating God’s message: Jesus sent me to Sent; I obeyed and received sight/light.

It was the Pharisaic attack on the healing’s having been on the Sabbath that leads to his reflection, moving from “a man called Jesus” to “he is a prophet” (logical enough) to “You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if any one is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that any one opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” The man had logic and was enlightened more than physically as he reflected.

And of course this budding evangelistic vocation is opposed, first by his parents who do not support him and then by Pharisees who exile him from the believing community.

Yet he needs to be led forward in his conversion, so Jesus encounters him and leads him forward: “Do you believe in the Son of man?” This is a question about commitment, even though the man does not know the meaning of “Son of Man.” So there is further light, ““You have seen him, and it is he who speaks to you.” And a response appropriate to full faith. “‘Lord, I believe’; and he worshiped him.” I strongly suspect he was indeed a disciple of Jesus after that.

Jesus sums up the election and conversion: “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.”

[Interestingly the Pharisees respond: “We’re not also blind, are we?” And Jesus says, “It would be better if you were.”]

What do we learn from these readings?

First, our election and calling is grace; we did not merit it; it has nothing to do with the gifts and abilities God was already forming in you.

Second, we have to respond and keep on responding to the grace of the Spirit in us. We have to “Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth. Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.” Which means, “Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them, for it is shameful even to mention the things done by them in secret; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible.” Notice that we do not talk about some things, but rather as we encounter them and need to know we “expose them to the light.”

Third, there is a process going on. We heard and obeyed, we reflected and came to some understanding, and we were challenged and received more light, and finally we encounter the Eucharist himself and with new light confess and commit more fully.

Where are you and where am I in this process in our lives? Let us move forward into brighter and brighter light at the pace of God’s revelation to us avoiding any messing about in even knowing about “the fruitless works of darkness.”

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 3-19-2023: Fourth Sunday of Lent

FIRST READING

1 Samuel 16:1b, 6–7, 10–13a

1 The LORD said to Samuel: How long will you grieve for Saul, whom I have rejected as king of Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for from among his sons I have decided on a king.

6 As they came, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the anointed is here before the LORD.” 7 But the LORD said to Samuel: Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. God does not see as a mortal, who sees the appearance. The LORD looks into the heart.

10 In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen any one of these.” 11 Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, but he is tending the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him; we will not sit down to eat until he arrives here.” 12 Jesse had the young man brought to them. He was ruddy, a youth with beautiful eyes, and good looking. The LORD said: There—anoint him, for this is the one! 13 Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand, anointed him in the midst of his brothers, and from that day on, the spirit of the LORD rushed upon David. Then Samuel set out for Ramah.

Catholic Daily Readings 3-19-2023: Fourth Sunday of Lent

RESPONSE

Psalm 23:1

1 A psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd;

there is nothing I lack.

PSALM

Psalm 23:1–6

1 A psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd;

there is nothing I lack.

2 In green pastures he makes me lie down;

to still waters he leads me;

3 he restores my soul.

He guides me along right paths

for the sake of his name.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff comfort me.

5 You set a table before me

in front of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6 Indeed, goodness and mercy will pursue me

all the days of my life;

I will dwell in the house of the LORD

for endless days.

Catholic Daily Readings 3-19-2023: Fourth Sunday of Lent

SECOND READING

Ephesians 5:8–14

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, 9 for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth. 10 Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them, 12 for it is shameful even to mention the things done by them in secret; 13 but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore, it says:

“Awake, O sleeper,

and arise from the dead,

and Christ will give you light.”

Catholic Daily Readings 3-19-2023: Fourth Sunday of Lent

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

John 8:12

12 Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

GOSPEL

Option A

John 9:1–41

1 As he passed by he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. 4 We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes, 7 and said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed, and came back able to see.

8 His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is,” but others said, “No, he just looks like him.” He said, “I am.” 10 So they said to him, “[So] how were your eyes opened?” 11 He replied, “The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went there and washed and was able to see.” 12 And they said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I don’t know.”

13 They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath. 15 So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.” 16 So some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he does not keep the sabbath.” [But] others said, “How can a sinful man do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said to the blind man again, “What do you have to say about him, since he opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

18 Now the Jews did not believe that he had been blind and gained his sight until they summoned the parents of the one who had gained his sight. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How does he now see?” 20 His parents answered and said, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 We do not know how he sees now, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him, he is of age; he can speak for himself.” 22  His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone acknowledged him as the Messiah, he would be expelled from the synagogue. 23 For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; question him.”

24 So a second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give God the praise! We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He replied, “If he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see.” 26 So they said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” 28 They ridiculed him and said, “You are that man’s disciple; we are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but we do not know where this one is from.” 30 The man answered and said to them, “This is what is so amazing, that you do not know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him. 32 It is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he would not be able to do anything.” 34 They answered and said to him, “You were born totally in sin, and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out.

35 When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered and said, “Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him and the one speaking with you is he.” 38 He said, “I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him. 39 Then Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind.”

40 Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not also blind, are we?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains.

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 3-19-2023: Fourth Sunday of Lent

SUNDAY, MARCH 19, 2023 | LENT

FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT

YEAR A | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading 1 Samuel 16:1b, 6–7, 10–13a

Response Psalm 23:1

Psalm Psalm 23:1–6

Second Reading Ephesians 5:8–14

Gospel Acclamation John 8:12

Gospel John 9:1–41 or John 9:1, 6–9, 13–17, 34–38

Rose or Violet