Readings:

Theme:

This Sunday's reading speaks of spiritual blindness. When Samuel went to anoint a new king for Israel, he was looking at the physical aspect of a person. God looks at the heart. The second reading also speaks of the difference between darkness and light. The gospel tells of the healing of the blind man and how this man was able to know Jesus while those who were not blind could not understand who Jesus really was.

Questions:

Day 1: In the first reading, Samuel was grieving because the king that he choose for Israel did not turn out to be a good one. He turned out to be arrogant and proud. So God told him to go to Bethlehem to the house of Jesse and there, he will find a king.

• When God told Samuel to go, he hesitated because he was afraid that the king might kill him. But the Lord told him how to handle this fear. Fear is a normal emotion for us. The important thing is how this fear is confronted and handled. Do you have some fears that has prevented you from doing anything? Bring this to God. What do you want to tell the Lord?

• When Samuel arrived in Bethlehem, the elders met him with fear and asked him if he came peaceably. Why do think were they afraid?

• Samuel told them that he come peaceably and told them that he came to sacrifice to the Lord. He then told them to sanctify themselves and come with him to the sacrifice. How is this relevant to you when you are afraid?

Day 2: Samuel went to Jesse's house and he saw Jesse's first born. He was about to anoint him when the Lord stopped him.

• What did the Lord tell Samuel about Eliab, Jesse's first born?

• From this scene., it seems like David was ignored and not even to be involved to participate in the sacrifice. Yet, he was chosen to be the king of Israel. What does that say about how God works? Has the Lord ever surprised you such that the unexpected event turns out to be an important event in your life?

• The reading ends with, “and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward”. The Spirit comes with might. How is this relevant to you?

Day 3: The psalm was written by David. He talks of the Lord being his Shepherd. As a shepherd, he knew what he did for his sheep and he compared that to what the Lord does to him. Since the psalms are prayers, this is also applicable to you. David says that he shall not want. Other versions translate this as I shall lack nothing. This means that the Lord provides for all our needs. David continues saying that the Lord leads him to green pastures and leads him to still waters. The green pastures signifies abundance of food. The still water signifies, abundance of fresh water.

• How is this applicable to you? Do you believe that the Lord provides for ALL of your needs and that he provides in abundance?

• Verse 3 says that the Lord restores the soul and leads in right paths for his name's sake. What does this mean?

• Verses 4 talks of fearing no evil while walking through the darkest valley. What did David mean by this? Relating this to the first day's reflection, how would you handle the things that you fear?

• David ends the psalm with “surely, goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life”. What did he mean by that? What does the word “surely” mean?

Day 4: St. Paul talks of darkness and light. The word “light” is repeated five times in this short passage.

• What did St. Paul mean when he said that we are light in the Lord?

• How are you supposed to live as a child of light?

• Where is the fruit of the light found? What did St. Paul mean by this?

Day 5: St. Paul continues to discuss how children of the light should act.

• How can you try to find what is pleasing to the Lord?

• St. Paul tells us to expose the works of darkness and everything exposed by the light becomes visible. How is this related to the sacrament of confession?

• St. Paul says that everything that becomes visible is light. How can exposed evil deeds be transformed into the light?

• Are you struggling against something right now? You have to expose it to the light – confess it. What is your next step?

Day 6: This entire chapter is a presentation of contradictions. The blind man sees the truth, while those who see could not see who Jesus is.

• Read the entire chapter and notice how the blind man's knowledge of Jesus gradually changed from a man called Jesus to worshipping him as the Son of Man. What were the word the blind man used to describe Jesus?

• Notice also who left the scene as his knowledge of Jesus grew. First was his neighbors, then his parents, then he was thrown out of his community. How is this relevant to you as you come to know Jesus?

• At what point and how did Jesus reveal himself to the blind man?

• What did the blind man do when he knew that Jesus was the Son of Man? What does this say about Jesus?

Day 7: The Pharisees were the lawyers at that time. They lived their faith by obeying strictly the laws of Moses. When Jesus healed the blind man on a Sabbath, they saw this as a grave sin.

• In Verses 16 and 24, how did they describe Jesus? Why did they call Jesus a sinner? What is more important, obeying the law or the healing of a man?

• Jesus said he came so that “those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind”. What did he mean by that?

• The Pharisees would not admit that they could not understand Jesus. They held on to what they believed and in doing so, they did not see what was before them. Do you have any pre-conceived ideas about God and your faith? Are you willing to let go of these so that you can truly see Jesus? What should you do so that you can see Jesus?

• What do you want to tell him?