Fourth Sunday of Lent

Ps 22 (JB)

R. The Lord is my shepherd;

there is nothing I shall want.

The Lord is my shepherd;

there is nothing I shall want.

Fresh and green are the pastures

where he gives me repose.

Near restful waters he leads me,

to revive my drooping spirit. R.

He guides me along the right path;

he is true to his name.

If I should walk in the valley of darkness

no evil would I fear.

You are there with your crook and your staff;

with these you give me comfort. R.

You have prepared a banquet for me

in the sight of my foes.

My head you have anointed with oil;

my cup is overflowing. R.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me

all the days of my life.

In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell

for ever and ever. R.

Ephesians 5:8-14 (JB)

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Ephesians

Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.

You were darkness once, but now you are light in the Lord; be like children of light, for the effects of the light are seen in complete goodness and right living and truth. Try to discover what the Lord wants of you, having nothing to do with the futile works of darkness but exposing them by contrast. The things which are done in secret are things that people are ashamed even to speak of; but anything exposed by the light will be illuminated and anything illuminated turns into light. That is why it is said:

Wake up from your sleep,

rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ephesians 5:8-14 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Ephesians

Once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light.

Live as children of light-

for the fruit of the light is found

in all that is good and right and true.

Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord.

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness,

but instead expose them.

For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly;

but everything exposed by the light becomes visible,

for everything that becomes visible is light.

Therefore it is said,

“Sleeper, awake!

Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

John 8:12 (JB)

Glory to you, Word of God, Lord Jesus Christ!

I am the light of the world, says the Lord;

whoever follows me will have the light of life.

Glory to you, Word of God, Lord Jesus Christ!

John 8:12 (NRSV)

Glory to you, Word of God, Lord Jesus Christ!

I am the light of the world, says the Lord;

whoever follows me will have the light of life.

Glory to you, Word of God, Lord Jesus Christ!

John 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John

The blind man went off and washed himself and came away with his sight restored.

As Jesus went along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. He spat on the ground, made a paste with the spittle, put this over the eyes of the blind man and said to him, ‘Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam’ (a name that means ‘sent’). So the blind man went off and washed himself, and came away with his sight restored.

His neighbours and people who earlier had seen him begging said, ‘Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some said, ‘Yes, it is the same one.’ Others said, ‘No, he only looks like him.’ The man himself said, ‘I am the man.’

They brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees. It had been a sabbath day when Jesus made the paste and opened the man’s eyes, so when the Pharisees asked him how he had come to see, he said, ‘He put a paste on my eyes, and I washed, and I can see.’ Then some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man cannot be from God: he does not keep the sabbath.’ Others said ‘How could a sinner produce signs like this?’ And there was disagreement among them. So they spoke to the blind man again, ‘What have you to say about him yourself, now that he has opened your eyes?’ ‘He is a prophet’, replied the man.

‘Are you trying to teach us,’ they replied ‘and you a sinner through and through, since you were born!’ And they drove him away.

Jesus heard they had driven him away, and when he found him he said to him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied ‘tell me who he is so that I may believe in him’. Jesus said, ‘You are looking at him; he is speaking to you.’ The man said, ‘Lord, I believe’, and worshipped him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

John 9:1-41 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John

The blind man went off and washed himself and came away with his sight restored.

As Jesus went along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, for him to have been born blind?’ ‘Neither he nor his parents sinned,’ Jesus answered, ‘he was born blind so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

‘As long as the day lasts

I must carry out the work of the one who sent me;

the night will soon be here when no one can work.

As long as I am in the world

I am the light of the world.’

Having said this, he spat on the ground, made a paste with the spittle, put this over the eyes of the blind man and said to him, ‘Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam’ (a name that means ‘sent’). So the blind man went off and washed himself, and came away with his sight restored.

His neighbours and people who earlier had seen him begging said, ‘Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some said, ‘Yes, it is the same one.’ Others said, ‘No, he only looks like him.’ The man himself said, ‘I am the man.’ So they said to him, ‘Then how do your eyes come to be open?’ ‘The man called Jesus’ he answered ‘made a paste, daubed my eyes with it and said to me, “Go and wash at Siloam”; so I went, and when I washed I could see.’ They asked, ‘Where is he?’ ‘I don’t know’ he answered.

They brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees. It had been a sabbath day when Jesus made the paste and opened the man’s eyes, so when the Pharisees asked him how he had come to see, he said, ‘He put a paste on my eyes, and I washed, and I can see.’ Then some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man cannot be from God: he does not keep the sabbath.’ Others said, ‘How could a sinner produce signs like this?’ And there was disagreement among them. So they spoke to the blind man again, ‘What have you to say about him yourself, now that he has opened your eyes?’ ‘He is a prophet’ replied the man.

However, the Jews would not believe that the man had been blind and had gained his sight, without first sending for his parents and asking them, ‘Is this man really your son who you say was born blind? If so, how is it that he is now able to see?’ His parents answered, ‘We know he is our son and we know he was born blind, but we don’t know how it is that he can see now, or who opened his eyes. He is old enough: let him speak for himself.’ His parents spoke like this out of fear of the Jews, who had already agreed to expel from the synagogue anyone who should acknowledge Jesus as the Christ. This was why his parents said, ‘He is old enough; ask him.’

So the Jews again sent for the man and said to him, ‘Give glory to God! For our part, we know that this man is a sinner.’ The man answered, ‘I don’t know if he is a sinner; I only know that I was blind and now I can see.’ They said to him, ‘What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?’ He replied, ‘I have told you once and you wouldn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it all again? Do you want to become his disciples too?’ At this they hurled abuse at him: ‘You can be his disciple,’ they said ‘we are disciples of Moses: we know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this man, we don’t know where he comes from.’ The man replied, ‘Now here is an astonishing thing! He has opened my eyes, and you don’t know where he comes from! We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but God does listen to men who are devout and do his will. Ever since the world began it is unheard of for anyone to open the eyes of a man who was born blind; if this man were not from God, he couldn’t do a thing.’ ‘Are you trying to teach us,’ they replied ‘and you a sinner through and through, since you were born!’ And they drove him away.

Jesus heard they had driven him away, and when he found him he said to him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied ‘tell me who he is so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said, ‘You are looking at him; he is speaking to you.’ The man said, ‘Lord, I believe’, and worshipped him.

Jesus said:

‘It is for judgement

that I have come into this world,

so that those without sight may see

and those with sight turn blind.’

Hearing this, some Pharisees who were present said to him, ‘We are not blind, surely?’ Jesus replied:

‘Blind? If you were, you would not be guilty,

but since you say, “We see”,

your guilt remains.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

John 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to John

As Jesus walked along, he saw a man blind from birth.

He spat on the ground

and made mud with the saliva

and spread the mud on the man’s eyes,

saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam”

(which means Sent).

Then the man who was blind went and washed,

and came back able to see.

The neighbours and those who had seen him before as a beggar

began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?”

Some were saying, “It is he.”

Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.”

He kept saying, “I am the man.”

They brought to the Pharisees the man

 who had formerly been blind.

Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus

 made the mud and opened his eyes.

Then the Pharisees also began to ask him

how he had received his sight.

He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes.

Then I washed, and now I see.”

Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God,

 for he does not observe the sabbath.”

But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner

 perform such signs?”

And they were divided.

So they said again to the blind man,

“What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”

He said, “He is a prophet.”

They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins,

and are you trying to teach us?” And they drove him out.

Jesus heard that they had driven him out,

and when he found him, he said,

“Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

He answered, “And who is he, sir?

Tell me, so that I may believe in him.”

Jesus said to him, “You have seen him,

and the one speaking with you is he.”

He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshipped him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

John 9:1-41 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to John

As Jesus walked along, he saw a man blind from birth.

His disciples asked him,

“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents,

that he was born blind?”

Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned;

he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him.

We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day;

night is coming when no one can work.

As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

When he had said this, he spat on the ground

and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes,

saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam”

(which means Sent).

Then the man who was blind went and washed, and came back able to see.

The neighbours and those who had seen him before as a beggar

began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?”

Some were saying, “It is he.”

Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.”

He kept saying, “I am the man.”

But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?”

He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes,

‘and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’

Then I went and washed and received my sight.”

They said to him, “Where is he?”

He said, “I do not know.”

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind.

Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes.

Then the Pharisees also began to ask him

how he had received his sight.

He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes.

Then I washed, and now I see.”

Some of the Pharisees said,

“This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.”

But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?”

And they were divided.

So they said again to the blind man,

“What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”

He said, “He is a prophet.”

They did not believe that he had been blind

and had received his sight

until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight

and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind?

How then does he now see?”

His parents answered, “We know that this is our son,

and that he was born blind;

but we do not know how it is that now he sees,

nor do we know who opened his eyes.

Ask him; he is of age.

He will speak for himself.”

His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities,

who had already agreed

that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah

would be put out of the synagogue.

Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

So for the second time they called the man who had been blind,

and they said to him, “Give glory to God!

We know that this man is a sinner.”

He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner.

One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”

They said to him, “What did he do to you?

How did he open your eyes?”

He answered them,

“I have told you already, and you would not listen.

Why do you want to hear it again?

Do you also want to become his disciples?”

Then they reviled him, saying,

“You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.

We know that God has spoken to Moses,

but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.”

The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing!

You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.

We know that God does not listen to sinners,

but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will.

Never since the world began has it been heard

that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind.

If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins,

and are you trying to teach us?”

And they drove him out.

Jesus heard that they had driven him out,

and when he found him, he said,

“Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

He answered, “And who is he, sir?

Tell me, so that I may believe in him.”

Jesus said to him, “You have seen him,

and the one speaking with you is he.”

He said, “Lord, I believe.”

And he worshipped him.

Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment

so that those who do not see may see,

and those who do see may become blind.”

Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him,

“Surely we are not blind, are we?”

Jesus said to them,

“If you were blind, you would have no sin.

But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.