LORD, THAT WE MAY TRULY SEE!
Blessed 4th Sunday of Lent to one & all. We are about half-way through our Lenten journey, & this Laetare Sunday, we are encouraged to be joyful – because we will soon celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection at Easter.
I had written an earlier reflection for this Sunday’s readings in Lent 2024 – please click here to read it.
WAS BLIND, BUT NOW I SEE! — Church of the Holy Family
The readings for the 4th Sunday of Lent in Year A give us a powerful insight on seeing as God sees. From the anointing of David, to the healing of the man born blind, the Scriptures invite us to reflect on the difference between human vision and divine vision. At the heart of this reflection stands the beautiful Responsorial Psalm, Psalm 23, which anchors the entire liturgy in a profound experience of God’s loving guidance.
The first reading from the First Book of Samuel recounts the calling of David. Samuel initially assumes that one of Jesse’s older sons must be the chosen king. They appear strong, capable, and impressive. Yet God reminds Samuel: “Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart.” (cf 1 Samuel 17:6) Eventually the youngest son, David – the overlooked shepherd boy – is chosen and anointed.
This passage reveals something essential about God’s way of working. Human beings often judge by outward success, status, or appearance. God looks deeper, into the hidden truth of the heart. The anointing of David reminds us that God often calls those whom the world ignores. It also invites each of us to examine how we evaluate others. Are we measuring other people’s worth by their appearance & achievement of worldly standards, or by the quiet faithfulness that we tend to miss & that only God sees?
We can also look at ourselves & ask: Am I so impressed & in awe of myself that I thump my chest & boast of my many successes & gifts to everyone whom I think are just dying to listen? Or, at the other extreme, do I see myself as pathetic & poor, never amounting to anything & feel disheartened & resentful? Here’s the thing – both extremes of pride and poor self-image are driven by worldly & personal viewpoints. But God’s viewpoint is totally different – God scrutinizes our inmost heart & looks at our openness to trust, love & serve Him!
Between this reading and the Gospel, the Church places the deeply consoling words of Psalm 23. This psalm is not merely a poetic response to the 1st Reading; it is the spiritual lens through which we interpret the entire set of readings.
“The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.” (Psalm 23:1)
In biblical times, the shepherd was a figure of tireless care. A shepherd knew each sheep personally, led them to pasture, protected them from danger, and stayed with them even through the darkest valleys. David the psalmist therefore describes a relationship of deep trust. God is not distant or indifferent. He guides, protects, nourishes, and restores.
This theme resonates strongly with David’s life story. Before becoming king, David himself was a shepherd. In a sense, the one who cared for sheep becomes the one chosen by God to shepherd His people. The psalm reminds us that behind every human leader stands the true Shepherd – God Himself.
The psalm also speaks powerfully about light and guidance, themes that connect directly to the Gospel. “He guides me along the right path for the sake of his name.” Life is often confusing, filled with uncertainty and darkness. Yet the psalmist declares that God leads us step by step. Even in suffering – “though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death” – we are not abandoned. God walks with us.
This message prepares us for the Gospel reading from the Gospel of John, which tells the dramatic story of the man born blind. When Jesus encounters him, the disciples ask whose sin caused the blindness. Their question reflects a common assumption: suffering must be punishment for sin. Jesus rejects this idea and instead reveals that the man’s healing will show the works of God.
Jesus then heals him in a strikingly physical way, making mud, placing it on the man’s eyes, and sending him to wash. The man returns able to see.
Yet the real drama of the story unfolds afterward. The religious authorities interrogate the healed man because the miracle happened on the Sabbath. While the man who was physically blind gradually comes to recognize Jesus as a prophet and eventually as the Son of Man, the Pharisee, who can physically see, become increasingly blind spiritually.
Here the connection with the psalm becomes clear. The Lord is the shepherd who leads us from darkness to light. But to follow the shepherd, we must be willing to admit our blindness. The healed man does this simply and honestly: “I was blind and now I see.” His humility opens him to faith.
The Pharisees, however, cling to their certainty. Because they believe they already see perfectly, they cannot recognize the light standing before them.
The second reading from the Letter to the Ephesians expresses this transformation in spiritual terms: “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.” The Christian life is a journey from darkness into light, from blindness into vision. Baptism, especially emphasized during Lent, symbolizes this awakening.
Returning again to Psalm 23, we see how the psalm beautifully expresses this journey. The shepherd leads the sheep to green pastures and still waters, restores the soul, and prepares a table even in the presence of enemies. The image is one of constant care and guidance.
In the Gospel, Jesus acts exactly as this shepherd. He seeks out the man who has been rejected by society, restores his sight, and ultimately reveals himself to him personally. The man is not only healed physically; he is brought into a relationship of faith.
For us during Lent, this Laetare Sunday is a moment of joy in the midst of the penitential season. The joy comes from recognizing that Christ, the Good Shepherd, is already leading us toward the light of Easter.
The challenge, however, remains deeply personal. Where are we still blind? What prejudices, fears, or habits prevent us from seeing others as God sees them?
If we listen closely to the psalm, we find the answer not in our own strength but in trust: “You are with me.” The Christian life is not about navigating darkness alone. It is about allowing the Shepherd to lead us. And when we allow ourselves to be guided, the promise of the psalm becomes our own: goodness and kindness will follow us all the days of our life, and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Article by Damian Boon, HFC Blog Team Lead