Fourth Sunday of Lent (Laetare Sunday)
Today, as we reach the midpoint of our Lenten journey, the Church invites us to “Rejoice!” (Laetare). Even in a world that feels increasingly heavy, where the “valley of darkness” mentioned in today’s Psalm 23 seems to stretch across the global landscape, we are reminded that we are guided by a Good Shepherd who is the Light of the World.
The Heart vs. The Appearance
In the First Reading (1 Samuel 16), we see Samuel looking at the outward stature of Jesse’s sons. But the Lord corrects him: “Man looks at appearances but the Lord looks at the heart.” David, the youngest shepherd boy, is the one chosen.
This mirrors the journey of many souls today. We often judge by the “signs of the times” using purely worldly logic, missing the spiritual reality underneath. Consider the testimony of Joseph Pearce. To the world, he was a man defined by radicalism and hatred. Yet, while in prison, the Lord looked at his heart. Through the simple gift of a Rosary, the Light of Christ broke through his “blindness,” transforming a man of darkness into a champion of Catholic truth.
Walking as Children of Light
The Second Reading (Ephesians 5) issues a clarion call: “Wake up from your sleep, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” It is profound to realise that the man who wrote these words, St. Paul, is the perfect witness to this truth. He once walked in the deepest spiritual darkness until the brilliant Light of the Trinity struck him on the Road to Damascus. He was literally blinded so that he could finally see the Truth.
St. Paul warns us that many works of darkness are done in secret, but anything exposed to the light becomes light. In the Diary of St. Faustina, Jesus speaks of this same interior illumination:
“All grace flows from mercy, and the last hour abounds with mercy for us. Let no one doubt concerning the goodness of God; even if a person’s sins were as dark as night, God’s mercy is stronger than our misery.” (Diary, 1507)
If the world seems on a course of destruction, it is because it has closed its eyes to this Mercy. Just like St. Paul and the blind man, we are called to be “children of light,” exposing the “futile works of darkness” not through condemnation, but by the radiance of right living.
The Sight of the Soul
The Gospel (John 9) presents the dramatic healing of the man born blind. This miracle is a “sign” that points to a deeper reality: spiritual sight. The Pharisees, who claimed to see, were the truly blind because they refused to recognise God standing right in front of them.
Jesus tells the man: “I must carry out the work of the one who sent me… as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” St. Faustina experienced this same “Light” as a guide through her own suffering:
“O my Jesus, You are the light of my soul; let no darkness hide You from me.” (Diary, 145)
Becoming Nothing in the Divine Will
As we approach the momentous 2,000-year anniversary of our Lord’s Crucifixion, we are invited to more than just “sight.” We are invited to Living in the Divine Will. In the Book of Heaven, Jesus explains to Luisa Piccarreta that to bring about the Kingdom (the “Fiat Voluntas Tua” we pray for in the Our Father), we must become “nothing.”
Just as the blind man had to wash in the Pool of Siloam to see, we must wash away our human will to operate in the Divine. When we become “nothing,” we allow the Light of Jesus to act through us completely.
Spiritual Practice for the Week: To step into this light, it is vital to commit to at least 10 minutes daily of:
-
The Holy Gospels
-
The Book of Heaven
-
The Hours of the Passion
A Prayer for Laetare Sunday
Heavenly Father, You see the heart when we only see appearances. On this Laetare Sunday, we ask for the grace of the man born blind. Wash away the scales from our eyes so that we may recognise the signs of the times and the light of Your presence in a world often lost in shadow.
Lord Jesus, our Good Shepherd, We acknowledge our “nothingness” before You. As we journey through these final seven years leading to the 2,000th anniversary of Your Redemptive Sacrifice, prepare us. Grant us the courage of the child of light to expose the darkness within ourselves and the world, and the humility to let our own human wills be consumed by Yours.
O Holy Spirit, Living Flame of Love, Descending from the Father and the Son, come and dwell within our “nothingness.” You are the breath of the Divine Will; ignite in us the fire of Your grace so that we may not only see the Light but be consumed by it. Transform our hearts into a perpetual Tabernacle where the Father’s Will is done, and guide us through the shadows of this age with Your Sevenfold Gifts.
May Your Kingdom come and Your Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Let our lives be a “Fiat” that echoes Your own, bringing Your light to every soul we encounter. Amen…
St. Paul, pray for us.
St. Faustina, pray for us.
Servant of God, Luisa Piccarreta, pray for us.
Jesus, I trust in You.
Thy Will be done. Fiat!
An Invitation to the Altar
If you enjoy these reflections, please consider enrolling in Mass at the Shrine to share in the graces of the Holy Sacrifice. You can enroll by visiting: