Sunday, March 30

Today's Grace

I pray for freedom to bring my entire life into the light — to come out of the shadows.

Scripture/Reading

Readings via the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops website:

Eph 5:8-14
Brothers and sisters:
You were once darkness,
but now you are light in the Lord.
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.
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,
for everything that becomes visible is light.
Therefore, it says:
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will give you light.”

Jn 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38
As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth.
He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva,
and smeared the clay on his eyes,
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.

His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said,
“Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?”
Some said, “It is, “
but others said, “No, he just looks like him.”
He said, “I am.”

They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees.
Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath.
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.”
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.
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.”

They answered and said to him,
“You were born totally in sin,
and are you trying to teach us?”
Then they threw him out.

When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out,
he found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
He answered and said,
“Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”
Jesus said to him,
“You have seen him, and
the one speaking with you is he.”
He said,
“I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him.

Reflection Questions

1. Is there any part of my life that I am keeping in the dark? Do I have a secret that I should be sharing with my loved one, my confessor, my superior? What fears are keeping me from coming clean? What delusions might have led me into secrecy? What would be the cost of transparency? What would be the spiritual benefits? Might Lent be a perfect time to come out of the shadows?
2. If I don't have any deep, dark secrets, what aspect of my life am I tempted to keep a secret? Why? Might I speak with God about this today?

Reflection

“Christ Healing the Blind Man” by Gioacchino Assereto, 1640

Other Resources

View the daily readings at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops website.

From “A Poison Tree” by William Blake:

I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

Music: “Cast Thy Burden Upon on the Lord” from “Elijah” by Mendelssohn

Hymn: “Amazing Grace” performed by Aaron Neville

Song: “Make Me Over” by Lifehouse