Lenten reflection: 4th Sunday in Lent
Lenten Reflection, fourth Sunday of Lent. "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Many times, those of us who struggle with weight and health, especially, but not only those of us who have struggled with it our whole life, fall into the unhealthy practice of trying to figure out who is to "blame" for our bad health. Why I am I this way? Is this genetic? Did my parents teach me bad eating habits? Am I psychologically wounded from not being able to leave the table until I "cleaned my plate"? Am I just lazy? Is this just a matter of will power? The reality is, we don't always get insight into out appetites. We don't always know why we do that which we do. But from today's gospel, we are reminded that regardless of the cause of our health affliction, God desires us to be free. Jesus wants us to be healed, he wants us full of life and joy so that we can reach out to others. God desires a miraculous transformation for you and for me. This transformation is only accomplished through the radical, life-changing love of Jesus Christ. But, in order to be transformed we need to accept the love of Christ anew into our hearts. We must believe that he wants us to be free. We must believe that he wants us to be healthy. We must believe that our current condition can be used to proclaim his glory. Not serve our own vanity, but to give glory to God, because when we are happy and healthy we are able to give God glory. As Ireneus wrote: "The glory of God is Man fully alive." Also, of course it was Jesus himself who told us that he came in order that we might have life in abundance. Today let us ask God for this abundant life. What is ask him to open her eyes so that we might see him working in US moving us to improve our help, moving us to be the man that he has created us to be. Let's pray for total transformation the lives and hearts of all priests around the world, that we may be fitting temples and worthy Dwelling Places of the Holy Spirit. Let us allow the Lord to touch us this day and give us the grace to Eat Clean, Be Fit and Pray Well.
-Fr Casey