By Sr. Ruth Ksycki, OSB

The following quotes from the readings of the 4th Sunday of Lent made me stop and think and pray:

“Not as humans see does God see…the Lord looks into the heart.” (1Sam 16:1-13))
“Live as children of light…Try to learn what is pleasing to God.”  (Eph 5:8-14))
“I am the light of the world…Do you believe in the Son of Man?…
the one speaking with you is he…I came into this world…so that those who do not see might see…
Surely, we are not blind also, are we?”(Jn 9:1-41)

How often we judge by appearances!  By what we see on the outside – good looks, nice clothes, important job or status – or the opposite.  We assume much about a person.  God looks to the heart and sees differently.  Can we trust the Creator’s judgment of others and ourselves?

How can we live as a children of the light, discerning what is pleasing to God?  By returning to the fundamental belief that God created all (absolutely everything) in God’s image and saw that it was good.  So when we see or meet someone, our first response should be to see with the Creator’s eyes.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.”  He came into the world so that “those who do not see might see.”  We must open our hearts wider each day to let in the light of Christ and see ever more clearly the beauty and goodness of the entire cosmos.  It is difficult as we often automatically slip into our comfortable thought and action patterns.  But Jesus is there to reassure us because that is why he came — “that we might see.”

The Pharisees’ question at the end of the gospel could become our challenge to new life: “surely we are not blind also, are we?”