4TH SUNDAY OF LENT (YEAR A) — LAETARE SUNDAY

1st Reading            1 Samuel 16: 1b, 6-7, 10-13a

Psalm                       23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 (R. 1)

R:// "The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want"

2nd Reading         Ephesians 5: 8-14

Gospel                    John 9: 1-41

ENCOUNTER, BELIEVE, REJOICE

Friends, Pax et Bonum! Today is the 4th Sunday of Lent (Year A). This Sunday is called Lætare Sunday, also known as Rejoicing Sunday. This is seen particularly in the first words of the Entrance Antiphon, thus "Rejoice Jerusalem..." (Isa. 66:10). The author of Isaiah uses these words to invite all to be happy with Jerusalem. Those who once mourned for the destruction of Jerusalem are invited to be happy with her hope of restoration. What it means is that the city shall be alive again. That is cause to be happy, to rejoice. That hope becomes a reason for joy.   

For this reason, the liturgy today takes on a slightly joyful tone even within the penitential season of Lent.   

One of the visible signs of this joy is the liturgical colour. The colour of Lætare Sunday is Pink or Rose. That is very unusual because we are in Lent and the colour is supposed to be Violet or Purple. On Laetare Sunday we are actually happy because Easter is in view. We can glimpse Easter. The colour for Easter is white. Therefore, a little of Easter's white and Lent's purple is pink or rose. In fact, in the mixing of colours, Purple and a little white result in Rose or Pink colour. Our fasting is met with anticipation and rejoicing. Our penance is already touched by the joy of what is to come.   

Now for this Sunday, our first reading is from 1 Samuel 16: 1b,6-7, 10-13a and the Gospel is from John 9:1-41. Let us focus our attention on the Gospel passage.   

To understand this passage well, we must place it in its proper context. Jesus Christ had gone to Jerusalem midway the celebration of the feast of Tabernacles (Jn. 7:14). From John 7, he starts teaching in the Temple. What about the Feast of Tabernacles? It is one of the three pilgrimage feasts. This means that every adult male Jew is to journey or make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate (Exod. 23:14-17; Deut. 16: 16). This accounts for why Jesus should go. The Feast recounts the Feast of Booths. In fact, the Geast of Tabernacles is also called Feast of Booths. The name “Feast of Booths” comes from the instruction in Leviticus 23:42–43, where the Israelites are commanded to live in temporary shelters (booths or huts) during the festival. These booths, called sukkot in Hebrew, were meant to remind Israel that their ancestors lived in temporary dwellings during the wilderness journey after the Exodus. They recount God's provision in the desert. The name “Tabernacles” is an older English translation referring to the same temporary shelters. In this sense, a tabernacle simply means a tent or temporary dwelling. Therefore, “Feast of Tabernacles” and “Feast of Booths” describe the same practice of living in temporary structures during the festival.  

During the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles, there are water and light ceremonies performed in the Temple. Each day priests drew water from the Pool of Siloam and poured it out at the Temple altar while people prayed for God’s blessing. Interestingly, Jesus tells the man born blind to "go, wash in the Pool of Siloam" (Jn. 9: 7). Additionally, during the ceremony of lights, huge lamps were lit in the Temple courtyards, symbolising God as the light of Israel. Just before the account of the healing of the man born blind, Jesus declares: “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). Seen within this context, I want to suggest that granting this man sight is granting him the gift of light. In fact, light was the first thing God created (Gen. 1:3). Jesus is giving this man the first of God's creation. More than that, He gives Himself as the light of the world to this man.   

What is the problem in the narrative? He healed the man and author stressed that Jesus "spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man's eyes with the clay" (Jn. 9: 6). He did this on the Sabbath. That was the first problem. Jewish law would not permit even that act of mixing spittle with soil to be done on a Sabbath. Therefore, he has violated the Sabbath law. In that case, he does regard the Law and he is a Sinner. Some other Pharisees thought about how such an act of healing was done by a Sinner. The first testimony of the healed man is that Jesus is a PROPHET. This is his encounter with Jesus. That encounter is facing trials and difficulties. Every encounter with Jesus should face a difficulty to allow for growth. There are three levels of challenges to faith and encounter with Jesus.    

The first level resides in the Pharisees who held charge against Jesus for working on the Sabbath and disputing the veracity of healing the man born blind. These hold the Law in hand but do not understand the spirit of the Law. That is true even today. There are those who hold the law, the Word of God in hand, encounter Jesus, yet use the same Law, without understanding, to dispute. Additionally, in this group are those who are far away from us. They are not nearer to us. They attack our encounter with Jesus.   

The second level resides in the Parents of the man born blind. When they were to defend the situation they partially did and, for fear of the Jews and being sent out of the synagogue, they did not defend their son's recovery. These represent people close to us. Unlike the distant critics who openly attack our faith, these individuals simply withdraw support. Out of fear of consequences, they remain silent when they should speak. They cannot speak well about your encounter.   

The third level is yourself. This is clear in the life of the man born blind himself. While some attacked him encounter and even those closest to him could not defend and support him for personal reasons, he spoke himself. He was left alone to defend his conviction. However, realise that he was very consistent in what he was convinced about. His conviction gave him a broader view of the Messiah. He initially recognised Jesus as a Prophet. In the end, he saw Jesus as the Messiah. Your consistency will vindicate and confirm your convictions. No one can better speak about your conviction than you yourself. Be considered in speech and deed. Others may doubt you. Some may abandon you. But if you remain faithful to your conviction, your consistency will eventually confirm the truth.

Therefore, friends, be thoughtful in your words and steadfast in your actions. Hold firmly to your encounter with Christ, even when it is challenged.   

  Pax et Bonum