Fourth Sunday of Lent A

The following are prayerful resources rather than a liturgy.

  • The gospel for the day
    (a useful commentary on the reading         here)
  • Some optional questions for reflection
  • Prayers of Intercession
  • Cluster Prayer
  • The gospel of the week ahead with questions

John 9: 1-41 He went off and washed himself,
and came away with his sight restored.

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.
‘As long as the day lasts
I must carry out the work of the one who sent me;
the night will soon be here when no one can work.
As long as I am in the world
I am the light of the world.’
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?’ Some said, ‘Yes, it is the same one.’

Others said, ‘No, he only looks like him.’

The man himself said, ‘I am the man.’

So they said to him, ‘Then how do your eyes come to be open?’

‘The man called Jesus’ he answered ‘made a paste, daubed my eyes with it and said to me, “Go and wash at Siloam”; so I went, and when I washed I could see.’

They asked, ‘Where is he?’

‘I don’t know’ he answered.

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,

‘What have you to say about him yourself, now that he has opened your eyes?’

‘He is a prophet’ replied the man.

However, the Jews would not believe that the man had been blind and had gained his sight, without first sending for his parents and asking them,

‘Is this man really your son who you say was born blind?

If so, how is it that he is now able to see?’

His parents answered, ‘We know he is our son and we know he was born blind,

but we do not know how it is that he can see now, or who opened his eyes.

He is old enough: let him speak for himself.’

His parents spoke like this out of fear of the Jews,

who had already agreed to expel from the synagogue

anyone who should acknowledge Jesus as the Christ.

This was why his parents said, ‘He is old enough; ask him.’


So the Jews again sent for the man and said to him,

‘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 do not 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.’


This is the gospel of the Lord.

Copyright © 1996-2021 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc.

Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). All rights reserved.


Having used our prayer resources, you might want simply to reflect yourself on them and how that might flow into your coming week. Some people have found it very helpful to meet with others and share their thoughts.
If you are interested  in joining a small group to share your thoughts and feelings about God's Word from any of the resources you have watched please email us.         cluster.alpha@outlook.com


Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)

The man born blind has the eyes of faith and has no difficulty in accepting Jesus: "Lord, I believe."

Whereas the Pharisees have 20/20 vision but are blinded by prejudice and spite.

  1. Recall a time when someone helped you see someone/something from a different perspective.
  2. What are you doing in your life right now to move toward light rather than darkness?*

* All second questions © The Pastoral Center

Prayers of Intercession

 

Today is a Sunday of rejoicing – Laetare Sunday. We have passed the halfway point of Lent and rejoice and give thanks to God for having helped us, so far, on our Lenten journey.

Today is also Mothering Sunday and we give thanks to God for our Mothers.

 

For the whole church – Pope Francis, all bishops, priests especially Fr Alex, deacons and all God’s faithful people that we seek to light the world with Christ’s love.

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer.

 

For all those who live in the darkness of fear and oppression and for all who are working to free them.

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer.


For blind people and those whose sight is impaired, may they live in the light of the Lord and have the support of our community.

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer.

 

For all mothers that they may find joy in the times of happiness and strength in times of hardship.

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer.


For those preparing to be received into the Church this Easter especially Natasha, Lennon, Alfie and the baptism of Maisie that their hearts may be prepared for this great joy.

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer.

 

We pray especially for Josie (Moir) as she celebrates her 100th Birthday on Mother’s day may she continue to be blessed with God’s love as she takes great strength from her Faith.

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer.

 

We pray for all those who are unwell especially those on the prayer foundation list that they will be given the strength and courage to bear their suffering.

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer.

 

For all those who have died recently and for all those whose anniversaries occur at this time, may they be with their saviour in Paradise. We pray also for all those who mourn loved ones that they may be comforted in times of grief. We remember especially, Christine Knox, Ellen McPartlin, Sean Calvey, Tom O’Neil, Clare Whitehead and Frances Brown.

 

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer.

 

We will now say the Missionary Prayer together.

Prayer to be Missionary Disciples

Picture of Jesus at door

Lord continue to bless our community
in this time of transition.
Help us on our journey
to grow from a maintenance church
to a missionary church.
Give us the courage
to be missionary disciples.
Make our doors wide enough
to receive all who need
human love and fellowship;
narrow enough to shut out
all envy, pride and prejudice.
Kindle in us the fire of your love
that all who come here
will find joy, peace and love.
Make this a house of prayer
and a gateway to your kingdom.
AMEN

Preparing for next week -  Fifth Sunday of Lent A

John 11: 1-45  I am the resurrection and the life 


There was a man named Lazarus who lived in the village of Bethany

with the two sisters, Mary and Martha, and he was ill.

It was the same Mary, the sister of the sick man Lazarus,

who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair.

The sisters sent this message to Jesus,

‘Lord, the man you love is ill.’

On receiving the message, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will end not in death but in God’s glory, and through it the Son of God will be glorified.’
Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, yet when he heard that Lazarus was ill

he stayed where he was for two more days before saying to the disciples,

‘Let us go to Judaea.’ The disciples said, ‘Rabbi, it is not long since the Jews wanted to stone you; are you going back again?’

Jesus replied:
‘Are there not twelve hours in the day?
A man can walk in the daytime without stumbling
because he has the light of this world to see by;
but if he walks at night he stumbles,
because there is no light to guide him.’

He said that and then added, ‘Our friend Lazarus is resting, I am going to wake him.’

The disciples said to him, ‘Lord, if he is able to rest he is sure to get better.’

The phrase Jesus used referred to the death of Lazarus, but they thought that by ‘rest’ he meant ‘sleep’, so Jesus put it plainly,

‘Lazarus is dead; and for your sake I am glad I was not there

because now you will believe. But let us go to him.’ Then Thomas – known as the Twin – said to the other disciples, ‘Let us go too, and die with him.’


On arriving, Jesus found that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days already.

Bethany is only about two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to sympathise with them over their brother.

When Martha heard that Jesus had come she went to meet him.

Mary remained sitting in the house. Martha said to Jesus,

‘If you had been here, my brother would not have died,

but I know that, even now, whatever you ask of God, he will grant you.’

‘Your brother’ said Jesus to her ‘will rise again.’

Martha said, ‘I know he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day.’

Jesus said:
‘I am the resurrection and the life.
If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live,
and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?’
‘Yes, Lord,’ she said ‘I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world.’
When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in a low voice,

‘The Master is here and wants to see you.’

Hearing this, Mary got up quickly and went to him. Jesus had not yet come into the village; he was still at the place where Martha had met him.

When the Jews who were in the house sympathising with Mary saw her get up so quickly and go out, they followed her, thinking that she was going to the tomb to weep there.


Mary went to Jesus, and as soon as she saw him she threw herself at his feet, saying,

‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’

At the sight of her tears, and those of the Jews who followed her,

Jesus said in great distress, with a sigh that came straight from the heart,

‘Where have you put him?’ They said, ‘Lord, come and see.’

Jesus wept; and the Jews said, ‘See how much he loved him!’

But there were some who remarked, ‘He opened the eyes of the blind man, could he not have prevented this man’s death?’ Still sighing, Jesus reached the tomb: it was a cave with a stone to close the opening.

Jesus said, ‘Take the stone away.’

Martha said to him, ‘Lord, by now he will smell; this is the fourth day.’

Jesus replied, ‘Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?’

So they took away the stone. Then Jesus lifted up his eyes and said:
‘Father, I thank you for hearing my prayer.
I knew indeed that you always hear me,
but I speak for the sake of all these who stand round me,
so that they may believe it was you who sent me.’

When he had said this, he cried in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, here! Come out!’

The dead man came out, his feet and hands bound with bands of stuff and a cloth round his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, let him go free.’

Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what he did believed in him.


This is the gospel of the Lord.

Copyright © 1996-2021 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc.

Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). All rights reserved

Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)

Martha and Mary are so typical of us - blaming God for not keeping to "our schedule", "our plans".

Yet the sisters never doubted that Jesus had supreme power over death.

"Jesus wept": this is so typical of us who cry at funerals although we believe in eternal life.

  1. Christ calls us from death to new life. To what new life are you being called during this Lent?*
  2. Follow-up notion: "new life" can be very simple like a kind word to someone who's struggling; a 'thank you'; a reaching out gesture in a family relationship; saying "sorry"; a "how are you?" to a neighbour.

* All second questions © The Pastoral Center