(The following homily was given by Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde during the Fourth Sunday of Lent Mass, March 6 at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington, Virginia.)
As we begin our reflection on God's Word to us on this Fourth Sunday of Lent, I invite us to listen to the following words written by St. Augustine. “The Lord tells us: I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. In these few words he gives a command and makes a promise. Let us do what he commands so that we may not blush to covet what he promises " ” (cf. Liturgy of the Hours, Vol. 2, pg. 275). Just moments ago, the Gospel verse which the choir sung in our midst echoed the Lord's words quoted by St. Augustine: “I am the light of the world " ; whoever follows me will have the light of life.”
How instructive St. Augustine's words are for us as we continue our Lenten retreat! Lent, after all, is a period of purification and enlightenment. Christ is truly our Light and it is upon Him that we must fix our minds and hearts in order to be enlightened. St. Paul reminds us of this fact at the end of today's second reading from his Letter to the Ephesians: “'Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.'”
Let us return to St. Augustine's words about Christ giving a command and making a promise. What is Christ's command? To follow Him! Is not that what Christian life " discipleship " is all about: to follow in Christ's footsteps, to imitate the Lord Jesus? Is not Lent a privileged time for us to learn more deeply and to practice more fully this following of the Lord, this imitation of Christ?
The blind man in today's Gospel is our model. We do not know his name, but we know how open and generous he was to Christ's coming into his life. Although considered an outcast by the society in which he lived, God clearly chose him to be freed from blindness, not only physical blindness, but spiritual blindness as well. God chose and called him to become a believer, a follower of His Only-begotten Son, the Lord Jesus. Notice how the blind man progressively grew in his faith, in his affirmation that Jesus is Lord. He referred to Jesus first as a “man,” then later as a “prophet” and finally, as “Lord.” The blind man kept following the Light Who is Jesus, as he progressively grew in his surrender to the Lord.
So, we see in the blind man's story two lessons which we must integrate into our faith-journey this Lent: the reminder that God in His love chooses us to become disciples of Christ the Light and the response which we make to the Lord " the response of faith " must ever grow deeper.
Present at this Mass this morning are both the catechumens and candidate from our parish and the rest of us, already baptized. These two lessons are instructive for both groups. We rejoice and are humbled by God's choice and call to follow His Son. His choice and call are rooted in His amazing love. Yes, just as once God chose the youngest son David to become King of Israel and just as God chose the blind man, considered an outcast and a sinner, to follow Jesus, so He chooses us, who are weak, limited and indeed, sinful. Our response in faith must continue to deepen as more and more we surrender in obedience to the Lord's Word and Will. The three works of Lent " prayer, penance and deeds of mercy " will enable us to surrender to the Lord's choice and call. We are midway through Lent; whatever the first three weeks may have been like, let us, with God's grace, use the next three to respond ever more fully to His choice and call.
St. Augustine also mentioned the Lord making a promise. What is Christ's promise? That we will possess eternal life with Him " having “the light of life,” as Jesus puts it. The goal of our Lenten journey and of the Christian life is to be with the Lord in an eternity of endless life and light and love, seeing Him face to face. If we do what He commands and follow Him, we shall inherit what He promises: life everlasting.
This Sunday, as well as last Sunday and next Sunday, we are praying in a special way for our catechumens; this is what we mean by the “scrutinies.” As we pray for them and give them our communal support, may we also encourage one another " the already baptized.
All of us are being enlightened by Christ as we journey through Lent. With the blind man, may we too say to the Lord, more by our way of life than by our words, “I do believe, Lord; " let us live together, with You in our midst, as children of light.” Amen.
