By Msgr. Joseph Prior • Posted March 28, 2025

(See the readings for the Fourth Sunday of Lent)

“Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning; exult and be satisfied at her consoling breast” (Isaiah 66:10-11).

The antiphon for this Sunday’s liturgy calls us to rejoice. The Fourth Sunday of Lent is sometimes referred to as “Laetare Sunday,” taken from the first word of the antiphon – “rejoice.” We rejoice that Christ has broken the power of sin and has led us from that place of darkness to the light of life. The image of light overcoming darkness has led to the liturgical color for this day shifting from deep violet to rose.

The Gospel account for today (following the Scrutiny Year A readings) recalls Jesus’ healing of the man born blind. It is a wonderful event to celebrate. The man trapped in darkness by a physical disability is miraculously healed of that condition by Jesus.

The blindness is symbolic of sin, not an indication of sin. The man born blind did not sin as Jesus mentions to his disciples in the beginning of the account. But Jesus uses the blindness and the healing as a symbol for what he does to the power of sin in the lives of those who have faith.

Those who are blind know what it is like. Those who can see must use their imagination to sense the difficulties, challenges and limitations that blindness imposes. One born blind has never had vision. He or she cannot see the things that the person with sight views everyday: the world around us, our families, our friends, beautiful works of art and so forth.

They are in the dark. It is difficult for them to move without great care because they could stumble, fall or walk into danger unawares. Blindness as a symbol for sin brings some of these attributes and difficulties. Sin hinders or blocks the light; it impairs our sight and with it comes some degree of darkness.

When Jesus gives the man born blind the gift of sight, he frees him from darkness and opens to him a world of light. The cure of this man also serves as a symbol that Jesus is the one who is able and does free us from sin. He disperses the darkness and envelops us in light. The gift of mercy is available to everyone who puts their faith in Christ Jesus.

The interaction between faith and forgiveness is highlighted at the end of this episode — first in Jesus’ dialogue with the man born blind who now sees; and second in the interchange with the Pharisees.

Jesus asks the man born blind, who now sees, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He replies, “Who is he, sir, that I may believe him?” Jesus tells him that it is he, and the blind man says: “I do believe, Lord.” Then he worships Him. He has placed his faith in Jesus. Jesus then says: “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind.”

The Pharisees say: “Surely we are not also blind, are we?” To which Jesus responds: “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains.” The Pharisees remain in sin for they have convinced themselves that they are right in denying Jesus as the Christ.

Think back on all the testimony they have gathered on this healing of the man born blind; they refuse to believe. It is this obstinacy that blinds them. The sin of pride keeps them trapped in darkness. The man they had accused of being a sinner is actually the one who lives in light – because of the Lord Jesus.

We celebrate our deliverance from sin, our freedom from bondage and our living in the light at Easter. Liturgically the dark and deep violet of Lent will give way to the bright light of white at Easter. This Sunday the rose color is a reminder that even now we live in the light for Jesus has delivered us from the darkness of sin into the light of faith.

During these penitential days we well up sorrow for the sins we have committed and we seek his mercy. Today we are once again reminded that Jesus can and will forgive us our sins. He leads us from darkness to light.

It is in this context that we once again hear the words of Isaiah: “Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning; exult and be satisfied at her consoling breast.”

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Msgr. Joseph Prior is pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish, Penndel, and a former professor of Sacred Scripture and rector of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.