​​​​​Holy Infant Catholic Church

Father Michaels Weekly Thoughts

WEEKLY THOUGHTS FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT MARCH 15th, 2026

            Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, welcome to the celebration of the 4th Sunday of our Lenten Journey leading us to the celebration of the Holy Week and Easter. The gospel Reading of last Sunday John 4: 5-42 was about the encounter of the Samaritan woman at the well who Jesus revealed himself as the long-awaited Messiah – people will worship in truth and spirit to satisfy their spiritual thirst.

            The first Reading of this Sunday; 1 Sam 16: 1b, 6-7, 10-13a is about Samuel who was sent by God to anoint David, among the sons of Jesse as King. God cautions Samuel to look at the heart rather than appearance – as humans tend to judge. David is finally anointed from the Sons of Jesse to become future King and Shepherd of God’s people.

In the Second Reading; Ephesians 5: 8-14 Paul appeal to the people to live as children of light – Christ opposed to darkness or sin.

            The Gospel John 9: 1-41 is the story of the healing of the man blind from birth by Jesus. In this miracle Jesus endeavors to respond to the belief of the time; the misfortune or disability is a consequence of sin by the man or his parents. “Who caused this man’s blindness; his own or his parents?” Jesus responds that neither parent nor the man did sin but was born that way to manifest God’s power.

            Jesus had earlier declared himself as the light of the world; “I am the light of the world.” The religious leaders of the time were supposed to be exemplary but were interested in attracting attention of the people. Their observance of the Sabbath was mere externalism. They challenged Jesus for healings done on the Sabbath like this one. They went to the point of questioning the parents for proof that their son had this disability from birth.

            The religious leaders at the Synagogue expelled the man from the Synagogue as he challenged them on the healing done to him by Jesus. Jesus finds the man outside the temple and questions him; “Do you believe in the Son of man?”  The man replied, “Who is he that I may believe in the son of man?”  Jesus said, “You have seen Him and He is the one speaking to you.”  The man said, “I do believe Lord.”

            Let us ask Jesus to heal us from all sorts of spiritual blindness that may inhibit us to see him as our source of light leadings us to truth and spiritual growth. Let us see Jesus as the appointed way to the Father, the Truth and Life.

            May Jesus be our light in this world filled with deception, fear, darkness, insecurity and evil. The man healed found Jesus as healer, Son of God as well as refuge after being driven from the Synagogue. May Jesus be our refuge and security. 

Happy St Patrick’s Day and St Joseph being celebrated this week.

St. Patrick Day Mass at Holy Infant March 17th at 10am.

St. Joseph Day Mass at Holy Infant March 19th at 10am and Shepherd of the Hills at 5:00pm

Have a great week.