2026/03/15 SCRIPTURE REFLECTION
Fourth Sunday of Lent
- Lara Engert, Director of Stewardship & Development
In today's Gospel, we encounter a man who has been blind from birth and whose sight is restored by Jesus. This is personally one of my favorite Gospel passages because of its layered meaning. Throughout my own faith journey, the different interpretations of John 9:1–41 have been very important to me.
What stands out to me most right now is how this reading reveals that God is not vengeful, and that His works are visible all around us if we allow ourselves to see them. Early in the passage, Jesus dispels the belief that sin is the cause of all suffering. God did not cause this man's blindness because of his sin or the sin of his parents. Instead, Jesus explains that the man's condition becomes an opportunity for God's power to be revealed—and we witness that power directly when Jesus restores his sight.
When the man testifies before the Pharisees, they ignore the miracle itself and focus instead on the fact that Jesus performed it on the Sabbath. To them, a miracle performed by someone they considered a sinner was impossible; these religious leaders were blind to the truth of what had occurred. Yet their questioning becomes part of the man's journey toward faith. Over the course of the encounter, he moves from seeing Jesus simply as a man, to recognizing him as a prophet, and ultimately to acknowledging him as the Son of Man. His eyes are opened both literally and spiritually.
This Gospel reminds me to open my own eyes to the miracles around me, even during times of darkness, when the weight of the world feels especially heavy. I am reminded that often, miracles appear in unexpected places. In times of crisis in our city and our country, we have seen neighbors rise to the occasion—providing food and shelter to migrants, protecting their immigrant neighbors, building bridges, and opening their arms, just as we are called to do by Pope Leo. For many, answering this call was something they had never done before. I see this as an example of God's power working in the face of immense hardship. It reminds me that even when the world is very dark, Jesus is still the light.