Homily: Fourth Sunday of
Lent (A)
With Christ the Healer Everything is Possible (A)
Fr. Udoekpo Michael Ufok
v 1 Sam 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a
v Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-6)
v Eph 5:8-14
v John 9:1-41
In spite of the ongoing Pandemic health crisis and threats to globalization, we celebrate today our trust in God’s healing light and his boundless love for us, which
is not measured by appearances. In today’s readings, God gives us the vision of
light, cures our various forms of blindness, (viruses) and looks into each of our hearts.
He is the ideal shepherd (Ps 23; Jer 23; Ezek 34). He loves us wherever we are.
He cares for us and does not judge us by our appearance, but rather shines his light
and scrutinizes from within. Today’s Scriptures substantiate this divine attitude
toward us, especially the Catechumens who are (usually) to be admitted to the Sacrament of
Christian Initiation, and those whom the society considers weak or the improbable. With God everything is possible
In today’s
first reading, God chooses the shepherd David, Jesse’s youngest son, to replace
Saul as the new king of Israel (1 Sam 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a), to everyone’s amazement.
He does this irrespective of Jesse’s seven sons who were presented to Samuel for
anointing. This story illustrates God’s choice of an improbable savior. It shows
that God can write on a crooked line. [ in the current situation we are in, God can heal us of the ongoing spreading Corona Viruses, he enlightens the physicians and the scientists in their search for cures and vaccine, enlighten our leaders and protect our health care workers all over the world....] With God everything is possible.
The same young David would defeat the gigantic
Goliath in battle (1 Sam17). This is how God works. He chooses unlikely people
in many other places in the Bible—Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Rehab the prostitute,
Israel’s judges, the prophets, prophetesses, and priests, and our Mother Mary—irrespective
of their human weaknesses or lowliness. Some of his chosen people objected. For
instance, Isaiah declared, “ I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips” (Isa
6:5); Jeremiah argued, “I am only a boy” (Jer 1:6); Mary posed the question, “How
can this be, since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34). God does not see as human beings
see. Human beings see outward appearances, but God looks into each of our
hearts and shines his light of love and forgiveness into us. Even though David
faced many trials during his life, God insisted on his choice and established for
him an everlasting dynasty—in Christ. Are you convinced that God sees your heart
and chooses you in spite of who you are? Are you convince with God everything is possible?
Similarly, in today’s
Gospel reading, Christ’s healing of the blind beggar (John 9:1-41) receives mixed
reactions, as did God’s choice of David. The passersby, especially the
Pharisees, viewed Christ’s actions through human eyes; they depended on external
appearances and judgment. For them, Christ was not from God because it was an abomination
to heal and to perform charitable works on the Sabbath. There were also those who
disbelieved that the man was born blind in the first place (John 9:18). Christ must
have been “faking the miracle.” He did not. With him everything is possible!
They did
not believe in Christ. Disbelief itself is a form of spiritual blindness. It
prompted the Pharisees to confront the healed man’s parents in order to confirm
how their son’s healing came about. Out of fear, the man’s parents couldn’t testify
to Christ’s healing mercy. They simply said to the Pharisees, “He is of age;
ask him” (John 9:23). Apart from disbelief, sometimes fear and lack of spiritual
courage can also blind us or deny us of the opportunity to speak of or witness the
truth. Each of us are called to go out to the whole world and witness the Gospel. [ Even in moments of social distances due to the ongoing corona-virus threats let us stay close with one another in prayers)
We can do this by turning to both David and the blind man as models of faith. Even though the blind man, the healed
beggar is thrown out of the synagogue, persecuted, denied, and rejected by his family
and neighbors (John 9:8-34), Jesus, the Son of Man, finds him once again (John
9:35-36). The cured man worships Christ, who reassures him that he “came into
this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do
see may become blind” (John 9:39).
With this
statement, Christ—like God his Father, who appointed David as king of Israel—is
drawing a contrast between human sight and God’s sight. He is drawing a contrast
between the blind man, who responded in faith to the vision Christ brought him,
and the Pharisees, who claim to see but disbelieve in the works of Christ. Human
fear and faithlessness, displayed by the blind man’s parents and the Pharisees,
can blind us from the light of Christ. They are “unfruitful works of darkness,”
according to Saint Paul (Eph 5:8-14). With God, let us remember, everything is possible!
Christ's light, possibilities and healing mercies penetrate the hearts of people in every land, culture, and nation(currently affected by ongoing Pandemic Virus). It
goes deeper than appearances. It knocks over the barriers of division, jealousy,
racism, and blindness to injustices in our broken world. It shepherds us (Ps 23)
and brings us hope. As we make progress in our Lenten discipline, and try to adjust our lives in this challenging times of global corona virus threats may we continue
to trust in God’s healing light and hope in his boundless love for us, which surpasses
mere appearances.
Reflection Questions:
1. Are you convinced that God’s love for us is not limited
to our appearances but shines through the darkness of our hearts and boundaries of cultures?
2. In this trying moments of pandemic threats, how can you relate to the story of the election of
David as king of Israel instead of his other handsome brothers? To what level do
you share this story with members of your faith community who have different sociopolitical
ideologies and agendas?
3. In light of the story of the healing of the blind man
in John 9, what would you identify as your personal blindness? Do you trust in God’s
healing light and encourage others to do so( especially in this moment of corona virus pandemic threats)?
