--- title: Daily Readings Reflection for 4/3/11 description: Daily Readings Reflection for 4/3/11 --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2011/04/02/daily-readings-reflection-for-4311#) # Daily Readings Reflection for 4/3/11 Apr 2, 2011 9:22:36 PM  |  by [Guest](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/guest) Scripture: Lectionary 31: I Samuel 16:1.6-7.10-13. Psalm 23:1-3.3-4.5.6. Ephesians 5:8-14. John 9:1-41 [Sunday's Readings](http://usccb.org/nab/040311.shtml) Jesus tells us he is the "Light of the world."  Fortunately, all of the readings this Sunday help us to appreciate that title of Jesus.  In fact, we together with those preparing for their Baptism, are given a great approach to realize who Jesus is and how we can identify with him as the one who loves us more than we can tell or write about.  His love is of the "agape" type--total, self-effacing, turned only toward us and unconditional.  The image that leads us up to the statement of Jesus "I am the light of the world" is all the more appreciated as we meditate upon and develop who Jesus is through our belief in what the Scriptures are telling us. The catechumens should be our model for they are carefully preparing for their Baptism with enthusiasm and with the light that their mentors and educators are telling them about Baptism and about who Jesus is for them.The readings from John are excellent for this purpose as we have learned about Jesus through the Samaritan woman, through the blind man who is cured after washing in the pool of Siloam, and next through the last sign of seven in John, the raising of Lazarus from the dead.  The prefaces used in the Mass reflect these three readings and are worthwhile for our meditation in parallel from what we learn from John's Gospel on these Sundays.  Our own baptismal commitment is renewed and we should pray to have the same joy and enthusiasm the catechumens have. Knowing who Christ is begins a first step toward loving him as he loves us. We always should keep in mind the question Jesus asked of his disciples, "Who do you say that I am?"  He may have already been hinting at who he is with that question that contains the expression "I AM."  This stems from the tetragrammaton of God's name in Hebrew  YHWH : I am who am.   To understand that very ineffable name, we need the guidance of the Scriptures to lead us to it and Jesus the Light of the world will reveal it to us. In John's Gospel the first chapter is already a great lesson in learning about who Jesus is.  It is the narrative about the call of Jesus' first disciples who were prepared to meet Jesus by John the Baptist. They leave him to follow Jesus who is pointed out by their master as the " Lamb (it also can mean Servant) of God who takes away the sin, that is the blindness of the world.   Two of them search and find Jesus and the learning process begins. After hearing his testimony Andrew and the Beloved Disciple (who is not named here) follow Jesus.  Andrew searches out his brother Peter and says, "We have found the Messiah, that is "The Christ" (Anointed One). They call him Master or Rabbi-- a first step in getting to know him. Philip then is the next one to follow Jesus and he is seeking out Nathaniel.  "We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets wrote, Jesus, son of Joseph of Nazareth."  Jesus is thus identified as coming from Galilee and from its village of Nazareth. His father is called Joseph.  Nathaniel goes beyond what first identified Jesus and says, "Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel."  Jesus truthfully and honestly then says, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you shall see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." Jesus is helping them to get to know him even better. Jesus the true light of the world then meets a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. It is high noon.  She, at first, is able to see that he is not a Samaritan and identifies him as best she could. For her he is a Jew.  Jesus tells her to fetch him a drink and to realize that if she really knew who he was she would have the "gift of God" and he would have given her living water. The woman responds positively and keeps the dialogue going.  She is attracted to this Jew who can help her to stop coming to this well for water.  So she calls him, "Sir." This is a level above just identifying him with the Jews who have nothing in common with her people.  She asks for the living water (not knowing it is Jesus himself). She continues to speak to him, Sir, I see you are a prophet as he tells her about her husbands and the one she is now living with who is not her husband.  He tells her "God is spirit, and they who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth. The woman does not stop responding and now raises the level of thought to the Messiah who is coming and will be the Anointed One (Christ).  Jesus then breaks through with a profound revelation for her, "I who speak with you am he." (Notice the "I AM" in connection with the Messiah title she has used.  She becomes his first apostle by going to the village and revealing what has happened at the well.  Can this Jew be the Messiah?  The Samaritans then believe in him whom she witnessed to by her truthful words. They reach a highpoint in knowing who he is and she already knew this: "We no longer believe because of what you said, for we have heard for ourselves and we know that this is in truth the Savior of the world."   Yes, they too, come to realize that Jesus is the Lamb or Servant of God who takes away the blindness and sin of the world. Thus when we hear today's readings we can see that there is a development that the catechumens have experienced and we too keep learning more about Jesus and thus can come to love him more.  The blind man has a similar approach to learning who Jesus is.  He is met by Jesus after Jesus has explained to the disciples that the blind man has not sinned nor have his parents, but the glory of God will be seen in what Jesus does for the man born blind. Jesus helps them to understand that what he does will show them that he is the light of the world.  The man is sent with a muddy face to wash in the pool of Siloam; he does and comes back and is able to see.  He knows that it is the man Jesus who has cured him of his blindness. Before the leaders of the Temple he tells them Jesus is a prophet.  Was he becoming aware that Jesus is the Messiah?  It seems so for the parents respond to the leaders that he is their son and was born blind. They want the man to answer for himself for fear they would be cast out of the synagogue if they believed what their son seems to be believing, namely, that Jesus is the Messiah.  The man is very strong and courageous as he challenges them with the question, "Do you want to be his disicples too? He is then thrown out of the synagogue. Jesus now reveals himself fully to the man. "Do you believe in the Son of God?" He answers with reverence, "Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him?"  Jesus says you have seen him and it is he who speaks with you. Then he realizes who Jesus is as he falls down to worship him and says, "I believe, Lord." We are seeing how well people are prepared for Baptism through these three different scenes from John's Gospel. Next week we will be privileged to see Lazarus being raised from the dead. Resurrection is essential to what the catechumens and we believe through our sacramental experiences. The sad ending of today's Gospel seen is powerful enough to make us think about how great a gift our faith is and how if we lose it we are truly groping in the dark. Jesus is speaking to those who did not trust the man and who did not know who Jesus is: They say to Jesus, "Are we also blind?" Jesus says, "If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, 'We see,' your sin remains.  Jesus is the light of the world in him there is no darkness. The original ending of John in chapter 20 had this for the epilogue of the Evangellist: "Many other signs also Jesus worked in the sight of his disciples which are not written in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name."  Amen. ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2011%2F04%2F02%2Fdaily-readings-reflection-for-4311%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2011%2F04%2F02%2Fdaily-readings-reflection-for-4311%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2011%2F04%2F02%2Fdaily-readings-reflection-for-4311%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Daily%20Readings%20Reflection%20for%204%2F3%2F11) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2011%2F04%2F02%2Fdaily-readings-reflection-for-4311%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2011%2F04%2F02%2Fdaily-readings-reflection-for-4311%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Guest](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Profile%203.jpg) ### [Guest](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/guest) We welcome guest contributors who graciously volunteer their writing for our readers. 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