St. Beradee Church
Prayer for Parish Gatherings
A simple faith sharing process to put Jesus’ message
at the heart of your parish organization’s meeting.
Opening Prayer
Holy Spirit,
Direct our minds with your wisdom.
Open our ears with Your words.
Touch our lips with Your truth.
Fill our hearts with Your love. Amen.
Scriptre Reading
Fourth Sunday of Lent
John 9:1, 6-9,13-17, 34-38
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth. He spat on
the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the
clay on his eyes, and said to him, "Go wash in the Pool of
Siloam" — which means Sent —. So he went and washed, and
came back able to see.
His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar
said, "Isn't this the one who used to sit and beg?" Some said,
"It is," but others said, “No, he just looks like him." He said, "I
am."
They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees.
Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath.
So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see.
He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and
now I can see." So some of the Pharisees said, "This man is
not from God, because he does not keep the sabbath." But
others said, "How can a sinful man do such signs?" And there
was a division among them. So they said to the blind man
again, "What do you have to say about him, since he opened
your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet." They answered and
said to him, "You were born totally in sin, and are you trying to
teach us?" Then they threw him out.
When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found him
and said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" He answered
and said, "Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?" Jesus
said to him, "You have seen him, and the one speaking with
you is he." He said, "I do believe, Lord," and he worshiped
him.
The Gospel of the Lord!
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ!
(Allow 30 Seconds of Reflective Silence.)
Reflect & Share
Share one or more of the following questions.
What word or phrase speaks to you?
What blessings do you see with your eyes?
What blessings do you “see” with your
understanding?
Which of these titles fits you: passer-by,
believer, confessor, challenger or disciple? In
what way or ways?
Which do you think might be more
astounding - seeing for the first time or discovering that
you were standing in the presence of God’s Son?
Do you think you could image something without having
experienced light or color? Do you think in this life you
can imagine eternal life?
Do you see similarities in the growth in faith between last
week’s Samaritan woman and the man born blind?
What in the story of the man born blind’s journey to faith
in Jesus is like your own faith journey? What physical or
emotional misfortune in your life has turned into an
opportunity for God to demonstrate His power?
Are you always accepting of the gifts Jesus gives you,
even when others may disparage them or doubt their
origin?
How is Lent sharpening your vision to see Jesus more
clearly?
Closing Prayer
Sing the first verse of Amazing Grace or pray
Lord God, we thank You for the incredible gift of
physical sight and the ability to appreciate all Your
blessings which our eyes allow us to see. Keep us
mindful as well of the gift of our spiritual sight which
reveals the blessings of Your truths to our hearts.
Heal us from any and all blindness so that we might
recognize Christ Our Light wherever we encounter
Him and might believe in Him, worship Him and give
witness to Him. In His most precious name Amen.