Rejoice Sunday!

Rejoice Sunday!

We are on the Fourth Sunday of Lent. Traditionally, this Sunday is known as “Laetare Sunday,” from the Latin word for “Rejoice!” It sets a tone of joyful anticipation of the Easter mystery. I hope everybody is reading 33 Days of Eucharistic Glory. Still there is time to catch up. Our Lenten preparations lead us to Eucharistic Consecration on Palm Sunday Weekend and begin the Holy Week.

The fourth Sunday of Lent gives us a review of salvation history. The first reading is a historical moment of salvation history. Israelites were governed by Judges. They looked at the surrounding kingdoms and asked God for a King. Saul was their first king, but he offended God, and the kingship was taken from him. The Lord asked Samuel, the last Judge in Israel, to go to Bethlehem to anoint Jesse’s son the next king. We read in the Book of Psalms 78:70-71, “He chose David his servant, took him from the sheepfolds. From tending ewes God brought him, to shepherd Jacob, his people, Israel, his heritage. He shepherded them with a pure heart; with skilled hands he guided them.” Samuel followed God’s command and anointed David and the Holy Spirit came upon him. This anointing is a type of baptism. We read in the book of Isaiah 1:1-2 “A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots, a bud shall blossom. The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him.”

David’s anointing is a type of baptism and the Gospel of John 9:1-41 is also a symbolic catechesis on baptism. Isaiah prophesied and Jews believed that when Jesus comes, he would heal the blind and other diseases. We read in Isaiah 42:7, “To open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.”

Jews believed that wherever there is suffering there is sin. Book of Exodus 20:5 “…inflicting punishment for their ancestors’ wickedness on the children of those who hate me, down to the third and fourth generation.” So, the disciples brought up this question to Jesus. Jesus denies such cause and tells them it is a providential plan of God. God has a higher purpose in allowing this man to be blind, but it is not the result of his own personal sin. Jesus gave the physical sight to the man who was blind; it is a sign that Jesus gives spiritual sight to see the world in the light of heaven. Jesus says, “I am light of the world.” Jesus is the source of truth, faith, and life. The Man who received the sight, received the light of faith.

Jesus applied the clay mixed with saliva on man’s eyes and asked him to go and wash in the 'Pool of Siloam.’ In the 2nd book of Kings (5:10-14) Elisha commanded Naaman the Syrian to “go and wash” in the Jordan River to be restored to health. The pool of Siloam was in the southern district of ancient Jerusalem to serve as a water supply for the city. Siloam means sent. Here Jesus is the source of living water. This miracle anticipates the administration of baptism.

Jews said that it is unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of a person who was born blind. When they threw him out, Jesus found him and asked him whether he believed in the Son of Man. He made the profession of faith: "I do believe, Lord," and he worshiped him.”

This Gospel passage is associated with baptism. Most of us received Baptism as a young child. Our parents and grandparents made the profession faith. If you received baptism as an adult, you made the profession faith yourself like the man who was blind, “I do believe, Lord.”

As I mentioned last week, three of the sacraments are Sacrament of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. This week's theme for the 33 Days of Eucharistic Glory is Eucharist and You. The reading for this week emphasizes the need of prioritizing our time, especially attending the Mass. Jesus forgave sinners and healed the sick, liberated the oppressed, fed the hungry and so on. The question the reading for this week raises us to reflect, whether we long for healing. Jesus breaks and shares with us at every Eucharist. Do we place ourselves in the place of the man who was blind? Do we need physical healing or spiritual healing?

We need to prepare for Eucharist beforehand and bring our lives to Jesus and offer at the Mass. We receive their healing, restoration of our lives, then we are sent to live the Eucharist. It involves sacrifice. This week readings remind us that the Mass is the model of self-sacrifice to learn from him. Reading listed some of the fruits of the Eucharist: friendship with Jesus, desire to know and do the will of God, hunger for virtue, grace to avoid sins in the future, cleansing of venial sins, a heart that listens to the Holy Spirit, and desire to know and live God. When we grow in appreciation for Eucharist, that love prepares us to rearrange our priorities and decide to encounter Jesus in the Eucharist.