4th Sunday of Lent (Cycle A, Year II)
Community Word: Trusting God is living in His righteousness.
Theme: We live in God’s righteousness when we do the works of God as children of light.
Promise: “Awake and arise from the dead and Christ will give you light.” (Ep 5:14b)
Reflection:
The Theme for the 4′” Sunday of Lent is: We live in God’s righteousness when we do the works of God as children of light.
Light, all kinds of light surrounds us, shining from light bulbs, neon lights, chandeliers, car headlights flashlights, etc. Lights for visual illumination, and not necessarily of inner vision. Lights of consumerism that drive us to ever greater consumption to satisfy our wants.
We want to acquire the latest computer, cell phone, clothes, shoes – to eat at fancy restaurants, to read the best selling novels, see the latest movies, vacation at the best resorts – the lists goes on and on. We want to be out front – to be instantly recognized and constantly affirmed, to scale the heights, be numbered among the rich and powerful, and be in the limelight. Yet when all is said and done, there remain that emptiness, that hollow feeling that compel even the rich and powerful to sometimes cry out – is this all that life can offer? Only God can fill that restlessness in our hearts as St. Augustine confessed.
We remain focused on created things and fail to recognize the hand of the Creator in His creation. If we could but pause and look up, we will see what the psalmist describes in Psalm 19:2: “the heavens declare the glory of God; the sky proclaims the builder’s craft.” The sight is even more overwhelming if we could view it away from the light pollution of artificial lights from the street, home, cars, industries, that obscure the night sky. If we could just pause for a few moments to examine the sky at night, we would stand in awe at the countless number of stars, and be sufficiently humbled to acknowledge that we are indeed but a tiny speck in God’s universe, insignificant in the face of the Majesty of God. We will also come to realize that indeed, we have not focused on our Creator. Instead, have idolized mere creatures and created things. By following the lights of the world and not the light of Christ, we have become enslaved by our senses – sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing, our eyes so mesmerized by the allures of the world, we pass hasty judgment on people and fail to see the plank in our own eyes. We become slaves to our desires, our incessant craving for more and for better things, forgetting g that many people go hungry in the midst of our excess and plenty. Yes, we fail to use our senses and intellect for the greater Glory of God when the Light of Christ is not within us.
In Jn 8: 12, Jesus declares:“I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” The Lenten season invites us to continue reflecting on our interior life – our relationship with Jesus through repentance, transformation, and continuous renewal of our lives. How can we be freed from enslavement to our senses and to the lights of the world? Psalm 119:105 is our guide: “Your Word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path.” As we mediate on the Word of God and become doers of His Word, we allow the word of God to transform and renew us. We will have the light of Christ within us. We will no longer be overly concerned about what we are to eat, or drink. or wear, or about other sensual things. We will renounce our pride as we forsake worldly honors, power, and position. We will be more focused on the treasures in heaven; “and the works of God so (that it) might be made visible through us,” (Jn 9:3). As we allow the Word of God to guide us, we will speak only the goodness coming from our hearts,live the truth and be in right relationship with God who looks into our hearts. We will grow deeper in love with God and with our fellowmen, always seeking the common good. We will be assured of our eternal salvation and we can claim the Promise of the Week: “Awake and arise from the dead and Christ will give you light.” (Ep 5:14b)
Reflection Questions:
1.How have I allowed the light of Christ to transform and renew me?
2.How will I witness to the light of Christ to others? What hinders
me from joining the mission work of the district?
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
March 30, 2014 (Sun) 1Sm 16:1,6-7,10-13/Ps 23:1-3,3-4,5-6/Eph 5:8-14/Jn 9:1-41
March 31, 2014 (Mon) Is 65:17-21/Ps 30:2,4,5-6,11-12,13/Jn 4:43-54
April 1, 2014 (Tues) Ez 47:1-9,12/Ps 46:2-3,5-6,8-9/Jn 5:1-3,5-16
April 2, 2014 (Wed) Is 49:8-15/Ps 145:8-9,13-14,17-18/Jn 5:17-30
April 3, 2014 (Thur) Ex 32:7-14/Ps 106:19-20,21-22,23/Jn 5:31-47
April 4, 2014 (Fri) Wis 2:1,12-22Ps 34:17-18,19-20,21,23/Jn 7:1-2,10,25-30
April 5, 2014 (Sat) Jer 11:18-20/Ps 7:2-3,p-10,11-12/Jn 7:40-53
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
