It is 22nd March 2020. We celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Lent as the rejoice Sunday. The readings are from 1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a; the second reading is from Ephesians 5:8-14; and the Gospel from John 9, 1-41. The first reading clarifies that how God chooses someone for God’s work perceiving the heart and soul of the person when we are blinded promoting someone else by the external paraphernalia, we admire in them. “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as people see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Sam.16:7). The responsorial Psalm praises, “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.” (Ps.22:1). St. Paul emphasizes that dealing with the unfruitful works of darkness in ourselves is the healing from spiritual blindness. “For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light, for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord.” (Eph.5:8). The Catechism teaches us in CCC 748 “Christ is the light of humanity; and it is, accordingly, the heart-felt desire of this sacred Council, being gathered together in the Holy Spirit, that, by proclaiming his Gospel to every creature, it may bring to all men that light of Christ which shines out visibly from the Church.” The Gospel presents us with a descriptive healing of a man born blind by Jesus. We all have a blind spot or unknown spot in our life. Neither known to us nor to the community. We all are born with the unknown blindness says Joseph and Harrington in their presentation of Johari window. We choose to be blind to our sinful and selfish ways. At times we are too quick to condemn the others and their blind spot in their life. But through the Sacrament of Baptism we all received the light of Christ to dispel the darkness in our life and in the life of others. Repetition blindness is that we get used to people and their worth by seeing them repeatedly eventually take for granted as if they do not exist in them. Cultural blindness is that we refuse to accept certain qualities in particular people and their cultures we are prejudiced of. There seems to be a blanket of darkness and uncertainty over the humanity due to C19 virus. This has brought us all to care for common good, and concern for the suffering and the diseased. It has brought us to think about the other and bring us closer to God. God alone through Jesus can heal the world and all those who are suffering when we are willing to acknowledge our blindness and sickness to the healer. Jesus is the light of the who is capable of healing any blindness whether it is spiritual, physical, psychological or cultural. Our openness to accept Jesus as the Messiah and Redeemer brings the desired healing from all unknown blind spots known to God alone. Jesus enquired the man who was healed, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshipped him.” (Jn.9:35-38). May we allow the Lord to heal all our blindness and acknowledge Him as our Savior for the rest of our lives. May you have a good day. God bless you.