by Br. Nicholas Hejka, O.S.B.

*      In the Gospel Reading, Jesus takes the initiative in healing the man born blind.  In the same way, God takes the initiative in our lives to bring us out of the darkness and blindness that come from ignorance and sin.  This is something we can never accomplish ourselves, and God does it in a way that inevitably exceeds our expectations and comprehension.  Through the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus he makes us His brothers and sisters, living temples of the Holy Trinity!

     The other side of this amazing truth is that God wants us to freely choose Him and love Him.  He never loses patience with us or gives up on us, but He enables us to decide whether we truly want a transformative relationship with Him.  Saint Paul elaborates on this in the Second Reading when he writes, “Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth. Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.  Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them …” (Ephesians 5:8b-11).

    There are several aspects to this way of life that God wants for us.  Firstly, we must be like humble, trusting children toward our Heavenly Father, which gives us a tranquil confidence.  After all, God chooses us as His sons and daughters because He loves us so much, not because of anything we do to deserve it!  Like David in the Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 23), we will trust that in God’s wisdom and love, His providential care provides what is best for us and guides us toward His purpose in creating us: that we may spend eternity loving Him face to face, and be His instruments to bring others with us.

     Also, living as God’s “children of light” means we turn from all that displeases Him or hinders us from becoming closer to Him.  We do this primarily because we love Him and we know He loves us, rather than because we fear punishment.  With sincerity and vulnerability, we come to the “LORD [Who] looks into the heart” (c.f. 1 Samuel 16:7b) and wants us to bring everything to Him, especially the parts of ourselves and our lives that need the healing light of His mercy and compassion.

     And most importantly, we turn more and more to the Lord and all that pleases Him, seeking to continually grow in our relationship with Him.   This is a life-long journey that involves many ups and downs, and following Jesus is not an easy, comfortable life.  However, through His gift of faith, Our Lord gives us the spiritual sight to see this life in the light of eternal life and the destiny He has prepared for us.  No matter how many times we fail or how much, the important thing is that we keep getting back up, turning back to God, and moving forward again. As we repeatedly choose to live our lives in, with, and through the Risen Lord, He transforms us and unites us ever more deeply to Himself.

*https://holycardsforchildren.blogsot.com

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