Sunday Reflections - FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT – YEAR A

 LIGHT FOR THE LIVING

FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT – YEAR A

(1 Samuel 16:1, 6–7, 10–13; Ephesians 5:8–14; John 9:1–41)

My beloved in Christ,

In a village in Ikeduru LGA of Imo State, there once lived a young palm-wine tapper called Chibunna. Chibunna was not very educated, but he had one reputation in the village: he did not fear big grammar.

One day, some respected elders gathered in the village square to debate a complicated land dispute. They used heavy English words that made everyone’s head spin. Chibunna stood quietly at the edge of the crowd listening.

Finally, one elder turned to him and said mockingly,
“Young man, what do you know about land law?”

Chibunna scratched his head and replied calmly,
“I may not know the law book, but I know the land.”

The crowd burst into laughter. Then he pointed to the disputed boundary and said simply,
“That tree has marked the boundary since my grandfather’s time. If you remove it, you are removing the truth.”

The elders stopped arguing. Sometimes clear truth defeats complicated arguments.

 

The Blind Man Who Saw Clearly

That village moment reflects the powerful drama in today’s Gospel.

Jesus Christ encounters a man who had been blind from birth. Before healing him, Jesus declares:

“I am the light of the world.”
(John 9:5)

Jesus restores the man’s sight. But the miracle becomes controversial because it happens on the Sabbath. The religious authorities—the Pharisees—begin to interrogate the healed man.

They question him repeatedly, trying to trap him intellectually and intimidate him. Yet the once-blind man stands firm.

At first, he simply states the fact:

“The man called Jesus made clay, anointed my eyes, and I washed, and now I see.”
(John 9:11)

When the Pharisees insist that Jesus must be a sinner, the man replies boldly:

“If he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know: I was blind and now I see.”
(John 9:25)

His argument grows stronger as they continue questioning him. Finally, he gives a profound theological defense:

“We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him.”
(John 9:31)

For a man who had been treated as insignificant, his clarity is astonishing. The learned Pharisees cannot refute him, so they resort to insult and throw him out.

But the truth remains: the man who was once blind now sees more clearly than those who claimed to have sight.

 

God Sees Differently

The First Reading reminds us of a similar lesson when the prophet Samuel is sent to anoint a king. When he sees Jesse’s strong sons, he assumes one of them must be God’s choice.

But God corrects him:

“Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart.”
(1 Samuel 16:7)

Eventually Samuel anoints the unlikely candidate—David, the young shepherd boy.

God’s light reveals truth beyond appearances.

 

Children of Light

Saint Paul tells us plainly:

“You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.”
(Ephesians 5:8)

To live as children of light means allowing Christ to illuminate our thoughts, attitudes, and actions. It also means courage—the courage to stand for truth even when others try to silence us.

The man born blind could have been frightened by the Pharisees’ authority. Instead, he spoke the truth boldly because he knew what Christ had done for him.

 

Light for the Living Today

Back in Ikeduru, Chibunna did not defeat the elders with grammar. He defeated confusion with truth.

In the same way, the blind man did not defeat the Pharisees with education. He defeated intimidation with testimony.

When Christ enlightens us, we must not be afraid to stand for truth.

 

Sunday Reflection

My beloved,
Jesus Christ assured the blind man that He is the light of the world before He restored his sight. This light enlightens our thoughts and actions, which enabled the prophet Samuel to choose David and anoint him according to God’s will.

We are children of that light, redeemed from darkness. Let us purge the works of darkness in us and embrace the light which we are.

May God bless you.

Happy Sunday.

Rev. Fr. Chinedu Ibearugbulem, C.S.Sp