A Message from Fr. Jay
Dear Friends,
When I was in my pastoral year as a seminarian, I oversaw a boy’s hostel of a diocesan Catholic School. There were four visually challenged boys staying with other students in the hostel. It was a surprising experience for me to see how they saw me! I would take my official routine walk around the study hall which consisted of 60 boys in a large room. During their evening study time, while everyone tried to maintain absolute silence, I observed that these four boys would make different head movements, postures and with a big smile would greet me … ‘good evening brother’. They did not have eyesight to see but they had different ways of knowing that I was there. I usually kept my keys in the pocket of my “baggie pants”, which was the style of the time! I learned that they could see me through the sound of those jingling keys. They also had different senses for different people; such as, a cigarette smell, the aroma of hair oil (all men and women use hair oil – not jelly in India) or perfume and by feeling their hands. It was amazing to see how they had different eyesight!
In the first reading, the Lord tells Samuel, ‘Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance, but the Lord looks into the heart’. The second reading tells in the words of Paul, “Live as children of light!” The gospel narrates how the blind man sees Jesus, believes Him, and worships Him.
There are different types of darkness in everyone. Darkness creates uncertainty, fear and slows down our journey or progress. Everyone needs light! Light dispels darkness. Jesus is the light. He provides light to see. If we have eyes to see Him, we are removed from darkness and can see our destination clearly with certainty.
This week, I would like your family to discuss these questions when you are together, possibly while sharing meals:
How much space have I created for Jesus in my heart? Share your experiences.
Do I realize that my heart is the lamp post of Jesus? Share how people are able to see Jesus personally because of my influence/help to them.
God Bless,
Fr. Jay Raju
- Reading 1: 1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a
- Reading 2: Ephesians 5:8-14
- Gospel: John 9:1-41
