EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR (# 15)
A Weekly Pastoral Tool for the YEAR OF THE EUCHARIST
4th Sunday of Lent, Year A
March 6-12, 2005
“The Blind Was Able To See”
(+) In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
(A moment of silence)
SONG: Any suitable Eucharistic hymn or Lenten song may be sung.
WORDS OF ALONSO DE OROZCO
On hearing what the Pharisees had done to the man born blind, the faithful and merciful Savior sought him out … He spoke coaxingly to him: “Do you believe in the Son of God?” But he said: “Sir, who is he, that I may believe in him?” Then Jesus said: “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” How astonishing and utterly to be praised is the mercy of Christ Jesus! He makes himself known to the sinful Samaritan woman and the blind beggar, but he does not thus open the mystery to the haughty priests and the angry Pharisees …
Blessed Augustine says, “Christ now washes the face of this man’s mind by putting faith in his heart, so that he might heal the whole person on the Sabbath.” The man is not ungrateful for so great a blessing, but falls down before Jesus Christ and worships him. Just as the Magi, prostrating themselves, adored Christ as he lay in the manger, and, opening their treasures, gave him gifts with a mystical meaning, all of them being symbols of our holy faith, so this man humbly prostrated himself and worshiped Christ as the Son of God.
As for us, let us fall at Christ’s feet and adore and worship him with the utmost awe, so that his grace may illumine the eyes of our mind and, when death comes to us, we may see in his glory, face to face, him whom we now see obscurely, as in a mirror. Honor be to him with the Father and the Holy Spirit through all ages. Amen.
SILENT ADORATION AND PRAYER
OPENING PRAYER
(Cf. Preface – Fourth Sunday of Lent)
Leader: Father, all-powerful and ever-living God,
we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
He came among us as a man,
to lead mankind from darkness into the light of faith.
Through Adam’s fall we were born as slaves of sin,
but now through baptism in Christ
we are reborn as your adopted children.
Earth unites with heaven to sing the new song of creation,
as we adore and praise you for ever.
Assembly: Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Part I
JESUS MASTER TRUTH
Listening to the Word
GOSPEL READING: Jn 9:1-41
PERSONAL REFLECTION
(As a tool for personal reflection, please visit the PDDM Website: www.pddm.org // www.pddm.us for BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD [# 15]: A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday Liturgy. The Biblico-Liturgical Reflections are an aid for a deeper understanding of the Gospel reading.)
SONG: Any suitable hymn of praise or Lenten song may be sung.
Part II
JESUS MASTER WAY
Confrontation with the Word
POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART
Leader: In the sacrament of Baptism we have received the Divine Word, Jesus – the true Light that enlightens. In him, who is the true Siloam and the font of light, we have been enlightened and became children of Light. Let us now pause and, with the spiritual openness of the Man Born Blind, allow the light of Christ’s truth to irradiate the recesses of our hearts.
1. In what way are we the Man Born Blind? What are the aspects of blindness in us that seek the healing light of Christ? In what way are we the recipients of Christ’s healing act of making the blind see the “light”?
2. In painful experiences and adverse trials as baptized Christians, what is our concrete response to Jesus’ interrogation of love and claim to faith: “Do you believe in the Son of Man” (Jn 9:36)? Are we willing to make a total act of worship and cry out: “I do believe, Lord” (Jn 9:38)?
3. How do we accompany with faith and love the “elect” catechumens who are preparing for the celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism, the bath of enlightenment? Have we truly lived and appreciated the beauty and the challenge of being baptized Christians, with our lofty vocation as children of Light and as the light of Christ in today’s world?
PENITENTIAL PRAYER
(Cf. Rite of Penance)
Leader: Lord Jesus,
you opened the eyes of the blind,
healed the sick,
forgave the sinful woman,
and after Peter’s denial confirmed him in your love.
Listen to my prayer:
forgive all my sins,
renew your love in my heart,
help me to live in perfect unity with my fellow Christians
that I may proclaim your saving power to all the world.
You live forever and ever.
Assembly: Amen.
SONG: Any suitable song may be sung.
Part III
JESUS LIFE
Acting upon the Word
PERSONAL PRAYER
CONTEMPLATING WITH MARY THE FACE OF CHRIST: The Mysteries of the Rosary may be prayed in part or in full.
THE WAY OF SOLIDARITY: PRAYER OF INTERCESSION
Leader: Let us lift up our prayers to our loving God and Father and ask for the light of personal and committed faith, so that through our good works his name may be glorified. We turn to him and say:
(R.) LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER.
1. For the Church: May she witness to the compassion and healing light of Christ on earth. May she be a dawn of hope for those living in the shadow of darkness and death. We pray: (R.)
2. For those who are asleep in tepidity: May they rise from their smugness and be energized by the life-giving radiance of Christ and his apostolic zeal to fulfill the divine saving plan. We pray: (R.)
3. For those who are spiritually blind, those who grope in the darkness of error, those who delight in the glamour of sin: May they encounter Jesus, the Messiah, who washes the feeble eyes of their hearts. We pray: (R.)
4. For this community of baptized Christians gathered together in his love: May we live as children of Light practicing goodness, justice and truth. We pray: (R.)
5. For the “elect” catechumens who are preparing for the sacraments of Christian initiation: May they be protected from the darkness of falsehood and become fearless witnesses and envoys of Christ, the light of the world. We pray: (R.)
(Other prayers may be added.)
THE LORD’S PRAYER
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Leader: Lord Jesus, the light of the world,
you are our Lord and our God,
the regenerating pool of Siloam in which we were baptized,
making of us God’s children of light and true witnesses of light.
May you continue to guide us
through these Lenten weeks of penance, prayer and works of mercy,
toward the radiant joy of Easter glory.
May our faith journey be
from the darkness of sin
to the light of grace;
from a glimmer of messianic recognition
to the more radiant and limpid light of faith;
from spiritual intuition
to the mature stance of oblation and worship;
from an object of healing and mercy
to a sacrificial witness on behalf of you, the giver of life and light.
We adore you, we love you and we serve you,
now and forever.
Assembly: Amen.
FINAL SONG: Any suitable Eucharistic hymn or Lenten song may be sung.
Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang PDDM
PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI
SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER
60 Sunset Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel. (718) 494-8597 // (718) 761-2323
Website: WWW.PDDM.US