Shalom

10 Mar Sun	4th Sunday of Lent (A)
	1 Sam. 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a Ps. 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6 Eph. 5:8-14 Jn. 9:1-41 or Jn. 9:1, 6-9,13-17,34-38

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We have no way of knowing what happened to the man born blind after his confession of faith: "Lord, I believe". Our passage today from the Letter to the Ephesians, however, is almost a commentary on John's dramatic story, and helps us to reflect on the way in which the man should have continued to live after such a miracle of grace.

"There was a time when you were in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord". Paul writes to Gentile converts, but his words are true of the man born blind, who was certainly a Jew. Born in original sin, we, too, were once in darkness, but now through the mercy of God and the sacrifice of Jesus upon the Cross, we are light in the Lord, we are children of light. "Light produces every kind of goodness and justice and truth." Did the man born blind afterwards lead a life full of every kind of goodness, justice and truth? Then the reflection turns upon our own life. We have so many guides to knowing "what pleases the Lord". We too are called to goodness, justice and truth.

Lord Jesus, Light of the world, enlighten our hearts with the wisdom and courage to know what pleases our Father in heaven and to live accordingly.

DAILY OFFERING

Eternal Father, I offer You everything I do this day; my thoughts, words, joys and sufferings. Grant that, vivified by the Holy Spirit and united to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, my life this day may be of service to You and to others. I also pray that all those preparing for marriage discover in Sacrament the source of Christ's grace for living a fithful and fruitful love. Amen.

PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH

INTENTION
For the ecclesial organisations and groups engaged in social action, that in their testimony they may proclaim strongly and consistently the Gospel of Love.
Elaboration

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P R A Y I N G W I T H T H E C H U R C H

INTENTION :	For the ecclesial organisations and groups engaged in social action, that in their testimony they may proclaim strongly and consistently the Gospel of Love.
It is the Church's desire that all social-charitable initiatives might always be inspired, in their implementation, by the immutable principles of the Gospel. There is danger, however, that professional organisations engaged in the social field risk losing the fundamental motivation for their existence: that is bearing witness to Christ's charity which the Church has the duty to communicate and to share with others. In order to be effective, then, continual spiritual formation is needed for voluntary co-operators who wish to devote themselves to social action. All these initiatives tend to develop the awareness that the foundation and centre of our action is Christ, in whom the God of love revealed himself and gave himself to men and women. Consequently all those who welcome Christ follow him and answer the call to be faithful witnesses to it. This awareness must totally imbue the hearts and minds of individuals so that it also inspires the Communities they set up for organised action in support of underprivileged persons and communities suffering from material and moral poverty. Being thus imbued and formed it becomes necessary that volunteers pray to draw Christ into their midst and have him accompany them.
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