Welcome and Opening Prayer:
Lord, we place ourselves in your presence. Send us your Spirit to enlighten our minds and open our hearts to your word. We know Jesus is with us, because we are gathered in his name, and he tells us “…where two or three are gathered in my name I am there among them.”
We invite our holy mother Mary the Seat of Wisdom to be part of our sharing as we say … ‘Hail Mary ….’
We invoke the power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit in all that we do as we say … ‘Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.’
1st Reading of Scripture Passage: Gospel – John – 9:1-41 (Excerpt)
As Jesus went along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. His disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, for him to have been born blind?' 'Neither he nor his parents sinned,' Jesus answered 'he was born blind so that the works of God might be displayed in him…
Having said this, he spat on the ground, made a paste with the spittle, put this over the eyes of the blind man. and said to him, 'Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam (a name that means 'sent'). So the blind man went off and washed himself, and came away with his sight restored.
His neighbours and people who earlier had seen him begging said, 'Isn't this the man who used to sit and beg?' … They brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees. It had been a sabbath day when Jesus made the paste and opened the man's eyes, so when the Pharisees asked him how he had come to see, he said, 'He put a paste on my eyes, and I washed, and I can see'. Then some of the Pharisees said, 'This man cannot be from God: he does not keep the sabbath'. Others said, 'How could a sinner produce signs like this?' And there was disagreement among them.
So they spoke to the blind man again, ‘Give glory to God! For our part, we know that this man is a sinner.' The man answered, 'I don't know if he is a sinner; I only know that I was blind and now I can see'. They said to him, 'What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?' He replied, 'I have told you once and you wouldn't listen. Why do you want to hear it all again? Do you want to become his disciples too?' At this they hurled abuse at him: 'You can be his disciple,' they said 'we are disciples of Moses: we know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this man, we don't know where he comes from'. The man replied, 'Now here is an astonishing thing! He has opened my eyes, and you don't know where he comes from! We know that God doesn't listen to sinners, but God does listen to men who are devout and do his will. Ever since the world began it is unheard of for anyone to open the eyes of a man who was born blind; if this man were not from God, he couldn't do a thing.' 'Are you trying to teach us,' they replied 'and you a sinner through and through, since you were born!' And they drove him away.
Jesus heard they had driven him away, and when he found him he said to him, 'Do you believe in the Son of Man?' 'Sir,' the man replied 'tell me who he is so that I may believe in him.' Jesus said, 'You are looking at him; he is speaking to you'. The man said, 'Lord, I believe', and worshipped him. Jesus said:
'It is for judgement that I have come into this world, so that those without sight may see and those with sight turn blind'.
Hearing this, some Pharisees who were present said to him, 'We are not blind, surely?'
Jesus replied: 'Blind? If you were, you would not be guilty, but since you say, "We see", your guilt remains.
Silence (3 minutes)
2nd Reading of Scripture Passage
Silence (3 minutes) then sharing of word, phrase or image that left an impression on you.
3rd Reading of Scripture Passage
Silence (3 Minutes) followed by short and voluntary sharing of what stood out for you personally in the reading
Reading of Short Commentary:
Sadly, there has always been physical blindness in our world. But physical blindness is not the only type of blindness that affects people, nor is it the most damaging. A far more harmful blindness is the spiritual blindness that results from sin. This spiritual blindness is evident in the lives of people who are confused or lost, often having no moral guidance.
Unlike physical blindness, spiritual blindness occurs when people either refuse or are unable to accept Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Life. The well-known proverb is appropriate: ‘There is none so blind as those who will not see!’ Here, the phrase ‘those who will not’ means ‘those who do not wish to’ or ‘those who refuse to’. Unfortunately, many of us are spiritually blind without realising it. We need to learn that in recognising our personal sinfulness our spiritual blindness begins to be healed. Jesus brings healing from sin into our lives through his Church and the sacraments, especially the sacrament of reconciliation. When we celebrate this sacrament with the proper disposition we meet the risen Lord who heals us and gives us life. Believing is seeing.
Although my [blind] friend lives in constant darkness, he has many opportunities to see as a result of his faith. Ironically, many of us who can see clearly with our eyes are increasingly blind to God’s presence around us because of our lack of faith and our sin. We are being challenged to invite Jesus to heal our spiritual blindness so that we may share his insight. Then our witness to the Good News will lead us to dispel the spiritual darkness in our world. God has chosen each one of us to reveal his love to the world. (John Littleton)
Discussion: Discuss for a few minutes any point that struck you from the commentary? How do we put the word of God that we have heard into practice? Is there something we can do individually or collectively? Are we doing something that could be done better? Are there attitudes that need to change?
Discussion: Discuss for a few minutes any point that struck you from the commentary? How do we put the word of God that we have heard into practice? Is there something we can do individually or collectively? Are we doing something that could be done better? Are there attitudes that need to change?
Prayers of Intercession – Choose any 4/5 of the following prayers and, if possible, include your own prayers and petitions:
1. We pray for the Archdiocese of Armagh as we journey through this Year of Reflection and Prayer together. May our prayer help and guide us as we begin our process of planning for the difficult and challenging years ahead and may the Holy Spirit enlighten us on how we should move forward. Lord, hear us.
2. We pray for those who carry a cross of pain and anguish today – Lord, grant them patience and courage. Lord, hear us.
3. God of all kindness, bless your church - make your people faithful to you. Lord, hear us.
4. Judge of the living and the dead, be merciful to all our deceased family, friends and neighbours; especially N. and N., and receive them into eternal joy. Lord, hear us.
5. Lord remember us as we begin our work, that we work in harmony with you, with others and with our environment. Lord, hear us.
6. May we always do what is right for our brothers and sisters - and together build a world that is pleasing to you. Lord, hear us.
7. Lord, our refuge and strength listen to our praise at the conclusion of this day - teach us to praise you always. Lord, hear us.
8. Lord help us to remember the poor and unfortunate - may we do what we can to ease their burden. Lord, hear us.
9. By the resurrection of your Son, you have enlightened the world - give us new hope this day. Lord, hear us.
Now we offer all our prayers to God our Father as we pray in the Words that Jesus Gave us … ‘Our Father…’
Closing Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank for the word that has enabled us to understand better the will of the Father. May your Spirit enlighten our actions in our homes, our communities and in this diocese. Grant us the strength to practice in our lives what your Word has revealed to us. Through you who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit one God forever and ever. Amen.
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