Seeing with the Eyes of Faith
By Bishop Paul S. Loverde
Special to the HERALD
(From the issue of 3/30/06)
The following homily was given by Bishop Paul
S. Loverde on March 26, the Fourth Sunday of Lent, at St. Charles Borromeo
Church in Arlington.
God’s Word is alive now! So then the cure of the man
born blind is occurring right now in our very midst! Let us understand
more fully how this is so.
The man born blind, described in today’s Gospel account, experienced
a process of conversion. Not only did he move from physical blindness
to physical sight, but he also moved from not knowing who Jesus was —
spiritual blindness, to acknowledging Jesus as Lord — spiritual
sight; yes, he moved from the blindness of unbelief to the light of faith.
This process of conversion is clearly detailed in today’s Gospel
account. First, the blind man says that Jesus is “a man” (verse
11), next he affirms that Jesus is “a prophet” (verse 17)
and finally he confesses that Jesus is “Lord” (verse 38).
This process of conversion is happening right now for both the elect present
among us, who are journeying towards the Easter Sacraments, and ourselves,
the fully initiated in need of repentance. Yes, each of us, whether among
the elect or the fully initiated, already believes at some level. However,
each of us is being called by the Lord Himself to deepen the level of
faith within us; we are being called to journey from blindness to sight,
from darkness to light. And indeed, within each of us, there are pockets
of darkness — areas of spiritual blindness. For some, the area needing
conversion may be our inner self-centeredness, selfishness in some form.
Or, it may be an unhealthy involvement with food or drink, or a type of
addiction, for example to alcohol, drugs, gambling or unchaste living.
Another example is pornography, which is so seductive and addictive, entrapping
good people in its power. Or, it may be a neglect of the Lord in daily
life.
Whatever the dark area within us needing the light of conversion, whatever
the blindness that keeps us from seeing clearly and acting rightly, this
is the season for turning away from sin and becoming faithful to the Gospel.
Lent is the time par excellence for purification and enlightenment. Lent
is the time for us to experience the Lord’s call to deeper conversion
of mind and heart and to closer allegiance and union with Him, our Lord
and Savior.
We are now midway through the Lenten season. Our annual retreat of prayer,
penance and almsgiving is half over. Once again, today, we recall that
the Lord has chosen us, you and me, to belong to Him, just as He chose
David, the youngest of Jesse’s sons, to be the King of Israel, as
we heard in the first reading. Yes, this Lent, God the Holy Spirit desires
to lead us ever closer to Jesus, and through Jesus, to God the Father.
If we let Him, He will strengthen us to turn away from the blindness of
sin to the light of divine grace. The Holy Spirit is leading our elect
toward the Easter Sacraments and is leading us, the fully-initiated, to
a deeper conversion and a closer allegiance with Jesus. In this way, we
are reliving now the experience of the blind man. So, with fervor we pray
for the elect as they take part in the scrutiny again this Sunday; we
pray too for ourselves. We take to heart what St. Paul told us in today’s
second reading: “You were once darkness, but now you are light in
the Lord. Live as children of light … . Try to learn what is pleasing
to the Lord.”
A priest-commentator, reflecting on today’s Gospel, wrote: “The
man born blind received more than his sight; he received a new way of
looking at life.” Yes, today during this sacred liturgy, we reach
out to Jesus and ask Him to remove the blindness that prevents us from
following Him more closely and more lovingly. As we experience His call
to conversion and to a new way of seeing and living, let us, with the
blind man who was cured, cry out to Jesus, “I do believe, Lord.”
And in that belief, we will see clearly with the eyes of faith until we
see Jesus face to face in that life which will never end.
Copyright ©2006 Arlington Catholic Herald. All rights reserved.
