Frederick, Maryland,
United States - Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Sunday, 30 March 2014 -
Catholic Meditations
Meditations: 1 Samuel
16:1 Yahweh said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have
rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I
will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite; for I have provided a king for myself
among his sons.”
6 When they had come,
he looked at Eliab, and said, “Surely Yahweh’s anointed is before him.”
7 But Yahweh said to
Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I
have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward
appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”
10 Jesse made seven of
his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, “Yahweh has not chosen
these.” 11 Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your children here?”
He said, “There remains
yet the youngest. Behold, he is keeping the sheep.”
Samuel said to Jesse,
“Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.”
12 He sent, and brought
him in. Now he was ruddy, with a handsome face and good appearance. Yahweh
said, “Arise! Anoint him, for this is he.”
13 Then Samuel took the
horn of oil, and anointed him in the middle of his brothers. Then Yahweh’s
Spirit came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went
to Ramah.
4th Sunday of Lent
Anoint him, for this is
the one. (1 Samuel 16:12)
Even from the earliest
days, there was a strict hierarchy in every Jewish family. The father was the
head of the household, and his eldest son was the heir apparent. All the other
sons had lesser places in the home and stood to inherit less than their older
brother.
But Scripture tells us
about some people who operated outside of this hierarchy and became powerful
servants of God in their own right. For example, Deborah was a woman living in
a man’s world (Judges 4–5). Jacob outshone his older brother, Esau (Genesis
27). And Gideon, the “most insignificant” in his father’s house, rose up to
become a great warrior and liberator of his people (Judges 6–7). David, the
youngest of Jesse’s sons, fits right in that pattern.
By traditional
standards, these limitations should have kept these people from rising up to
positions of leadership in Israel. But God uses a different method of
selection. He places an emphasis on how a person thinks and acts, not on that
person’s place in the family or society. As he told Samuel, he looks at the
heart, not the appearance.
Even today, God is
looking for people with pure hearts, people who will be faithful and obedient.
He is looking for people who are willing to be formed by him. King Saul,
David’s predecessor, had turned away from God, but in David, God found a man
with a soft heart and a willing spirit.
God isn’t looking for
the smartest, the wealthiest, the most beautiful, or the flashiest person. He
is looking for people who are committed to him and who strive to model their
lives after his teachings.
We are God’s anointed
ones. He has blessed us and filled us with his grace. May we rise up today and
tell the Lord that we want to serve him and honor him with our lives.
“Lord, give me the
desire to follow you and the strength to help build your Church.” Amen.
Psalm 23: A Psalm by
David.
1 Yahweh is my
shepherd:
I shall lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down
in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul.
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
Your rod and your
staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table
before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with
oil.
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and
loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in Yahweh’s house forever.
Ephesians 5:8 For you
were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, 9
for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, 10
proving what is well pleasing to the Lord. 11 Have no fellowship with the
unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather even reprove them. 12 For the things
which are done by them in secret, it is a shame even to speak of. 13 But all
things, when they are reproved, are revealed by the light, for everything that
reveals is light. 14 Therefore he says, “Awake, you who sleep, and arise from
the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
John 9:1 As he passed
by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who
sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 Jesus answered,
“Neither did this man sin, nor his parents; but, that the works of God might be
revealed in him. 4 I must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day.
The night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the
light of the world.” 6 When he had said this, he spat on the ground, made mud
with the saliva, anointed the blind man’s eyes with the mud, 7 and said to him,
“Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he went away, washed,
and came back seeing. 8 The neighbors therefore, and those who saw that he was
blind before, said, “Isn’t this he who sat and begged?” 9 Others were saying,
“It is he.” Still others were saying, “He looks like him.”
He said, “I am he.” 10
They therefore were asking him, “How were your eyes opened?”
11 He answered, “A man
called Jesus made mud, anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of
Siloam, and wash.’ So I went away and washed, and I received sight.”
12 Then they asked him,
“Where is he?”
He said, “I don’t
know.”
13 They brought him who
had been blind to the Pharisees. 14 It was a Sabbath when Jesus made the mud
and opened his eyes. 15 Again therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he
received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, I washed, and I see.”
16 Some therefore of
the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he doesn’t keep the
Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” There was
division among them. 17 Therefore they asked the blind man again, “What do you
say about him, because he opened your eyes?”
He said, “He is a
prophet.”
18 The Jews therefore
did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and had received his
sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight, 19 and
asked them, “Is this your son, whom you say was born blind? How then does he
now see?”
20 His parents answered
them, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but how he
now sees, we don’t know; or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. He is of age.
Ask him. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because
they feared the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if any man would
confess him as Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his
parents said, “He is of age. Ask him.”
24 So they called the
man who was blind a second time, and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know
that this man is a sinner.”
25 He therefore
answered, “I don’t know if he is a sinner. One thing I do know: that though I
was blind, now I see.”
26 They said to him
again, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”
27 He answered them, “I
told you already, and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You
don’t also want to become his disciples, do you?”
28 They insulted him
and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that
God has spoken to Moses. But as for this man, we don’t know where he comes
from.”
30 The man answered
them, “How amazing! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes.
31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of
God, and does his will, he listens to him.[a] 32 Since the world began it has
never been heard of that anyone opened the eyes of someone born blind. 33 If
this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
34 They answered him,
“You were altogether born in sins, and do you teach us?” They threw him out.
35 Jesus heard that
they had thrown him out, and finding him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son
of God?”
36 He answered, “Who is
he, Lord, that I may believe in him?”
37 Jesus said to him,
“You have both seen him, and it is he who speaks with you.”
38 He said, “Lord, I
believe!” and he worshiped him.
39 Jesus said, “I came
into this world for judgment, that those who don’t see may see; and that those
who see may become blind.”
40 Those of the
Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also
blind?”
41 Jesus said to them, “If
you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore
your sin remains.
Footnotes:
1. John 9:31 Psalm
66:18, Proverbs 15:29; 28:9
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Questions for
Reflection or Group Discussion:
(1 Samuel 16:1 Yahweh
said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him
from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you
to Jesse the Bethlehemite; for I have provided a king for myself among his
sons.”
6 When they had come,
he looked at Eliab, and said, “Surely Yahweh’s anointed is before him.”
7 But Yahweh said to
Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I
have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward
appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”
10 Jesse made seven of
his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, “Yahweh has not chosen
these.” 11 Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your children here?”
He said, “There remains
yet the youngest. Behold, he is keeping the sheep.”
Samuel said to Jesse,
“Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.”
12 He sent, and brought
him in. Now he was ruddy, with a handsome face and good appearance. Yahweh
said, “Arise! Anoint him, for this is he.”
13 Then Samuel took the
horn of oil, and anointed him in the middle of his brothers. Then Yahweh’s
Spirit came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went
to Ramah.
Psalm 23: A Psalm by
David.
1 Yahweh is my
shepherd:
I shall lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down
in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul.
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
Your rod and your
staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table
before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with
oil.
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and
loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in Yahweh’s house forever.
Ephesians 5:8 For you
were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, 9
for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, 10
proving what is well pleasing to the Lord. 11 Have no fellowship with the
unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather even reprove them. 12 For the things
which are done by them in secret, it is a shame even to speak of. 13 But all
things, when they are reproved, are revealed by the light, for everything that
reveals is light. 14 Therefore he says, “Awake, you who sleep, and arise from
the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
John 9:1 As he passed
by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who
sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 Jesus answered,
“Neither did this man sin, nor his parents; but, that the works of God might be
revealed in him. 4 I must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day.
The night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the
light of the world.” 6 When he had said this, he spat on the ground, made mud
with the saliva, anointed the blind man’s eyes with the mud, 7 and said to him,
“Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he went away, washed,
and came back seeing. 8 The neighbors therefore, and those who saw that he was
blind before, said, “Isn’t this he who sat and begged?” 9 Others were saying,
“It is he.” Still others were saying, “He looks like him.”
He said, “I am he.” 10
They therefore were asking him, “How were your eyes opened?”
11 He answered, “A man
called Jesus made mud, anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of
Siloam, and wash.’ So I went away and washed, and I received sight.”
12 Then they asked him,
“Where is he?”
He said, “I don’t
know.”
13 They brought him who
had been blind to the Pharisees. 14 It was a Sabbath when Jesus made the mud
and opened his eyes. 15 Again therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he
received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, I washed, and I see.”
16 Some therefore of
the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he doesn’t keep the
Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” There was
division among them. 17 Therefore they asked the blind man again, “What do you
say about him, because he opened your eyes?”
He said, “He is a
prophet.”
18 The Jews therefore
did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and had received his
sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight, 19 and
asked them, “Is this your son, whom you say was born blind? How then does he
now see?”
20 His parents answered
them, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but how he
now sees, we don’t know; or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. He is of age.
Ask him. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because
they feared the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if any man would
confess him as Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his
parents said, “He is of age. Ask him.”
24 So they called the
man who was blind a second time, and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know
that this man is a sinner.”
25 He therefore
answered, “I don’t know if he is a sinner. One thing I do know: that though I
was blind, now I see.”
26 They said to him
again, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”
27 He answered them, “I
told you already, and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You
don’t also want to become his disciples, do you?”
28 They insulted him
and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that
God has spoken to Moses. But as for this man, we don’t know where he comes
from.”
30 The man answered
them, “How amazing! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes.
31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of
God, and does his will, he listens to him.[a] 32 Since the world began it has
never been heard of that anyone opened the eyes of someone born blind. 33 If
this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
34 They answered him,
“You were altogether born in sins, and do you teach us?” They threw him out.
35 Jesus heard that
they had thrown him out, and finding him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son
of God?”
36 He answered, “Who is
he, Lord, that I may believe in him?”
37 Jesus said to him,
“You have both seen him, and it is he who speaks with you.”
38 He said, “Lord, I
believe!” and he worshiped him.
39 Jesus said, “I came
into this world for judgment, that those who don’t see may see; and that those
who see may become blind.”
40 Those of the
Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also
blind?”
41 Jesus said to them, “If
you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore
your sin remains.
Footnotes:
1. John 9:31 Psalm
66:18, Proverbs 15:29; 28:9)
1. In the first
reading, we are told that “the Lord looks into the heart” but “man sees the
appearance.” How often do you judge a man’s heart by appearances? What specific
steps can you take to adopt a more godly perspective of others?
2. In the familiar
Psalm 23, we read that the Lord “refreshes my soul.” What does that mean to
you? Have there been times in your life when you have actually experienced the
Lord’s refreshment? When? How can you better approach prayer and the Eucharist
with an expectant faith that you will experience the Lord’s refreshment?
3. The letter to the
Ephesians tells us to expose the “fruitless works of darkness” so that “Christ
will give you light.” The best place for this to happen is in the Sacrament of
Reconciliation. What steps can you take to have a thoughtful and prayerful
reception of this Sacrament?
4. The Gospel story, in
addition to being a story of a miraculous healing of a blind man, is also a
story of conversion, i.e., the healing of spiritual blindness. The blind man
went from saying, “I don’t know” to the initial questions about Jesus to “One
thing I know, I was blind but now I see.” And finally, “Lord, I believe” and
then “he worshiped him.” How would you describe your own journey of conversion,
in light of this story?
5. In the meditation,
we hear these words: “Even today, God is looking for people with pure hearts,
people who will be faithful and obedient. He is looking for people who are
willing to be formed by him.” As you continue your Lenten journey, what steps
are you taking to allow the Lord to form you into a “faithful and obedient”
servant? What impact are they having?
6. Take some time now
to pray and ask the Lord for the grace to be a “faithful and obedient” servant
who can be used by him to “help build his Church.” Use the prayer at the end of
the meditation as the starting point.
“Lord, give me the
desire to follow you and the strength to help build your Church.” Amen.
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