Fr. Bob's Reflection for the Fourth Sunday in Lent - Guest Post

Many things can challenge and unsettle our Christian faith, leading us to question God’s presence in our lives. Few things do this more powerfully than the suffering of a child – especially when a child is born with illness or deformity. It feels like the clearest example of innocent, senseless suffering. There is no easy explanation for it. As adults, we sometimes bring hardship upon ourselves through poor choices. We may neglect our health, eat poorly, drink or smoke too much, or make decisions that eventually affect our well-being. In those cases, we can often see some connection between cause and effect. But a newborn has done none of these things. When a baby is born with something wrong, it feels deeply unfair. Our hearts naturally cry out in protest. This same anguish appears in today’s Gospel. The man Jesus encounters had been blind from birth, and like us, the disciples wanted to know why. In their time, many believed suffering was a punishment from God for sin. Yet that explanation falls apart immediately. How could a newborn be guilty of sin? Jesus firmly rejects that way of thinking. He makes it clear that the man’s blindness had nothing to do with sin. Still, Jesus does not offer a reason for why the man was blind. He doesn’t attempt to explain it away. For Jesus, blindness was not a theoretical problem to be solved, but a human need to be met. His question was not, “How did this happen?” but, “How can I help?” One of the most striking moments in this story is that Jesus looks directly at the suffering man. Many others had likely walked past him, day after day, without a second glance. He had been there so long that he had become part of the background, almost invisible. That is often how we respond to suffering as well – we avoid it. We turn away because it makes us uncomfortable. But Jesus does the opposite. He faces suffering head-on. He acknowledges it. He refuses to ignore it. There is, however, a surprising twist in the story. Jesus says that through this man’s blindness, “the works of God would be made visible.” This does not mean that God caused the blindness. Rather, it means that through healing the man, Jesus would reveal Himself as the Light of the World. From a tragic situation, something holy would emerge. Human suffering is real and painful, and Jesus never pretends otherwise. We must remember that. Yet He also shows us that suffering is not the final word. There can be meaning, compassion and healing that come from it. Suffering can soften our hearts and make us more sensitive to others who are hurting. It can move us to action. Jesus not only heals the man; He befriends him. He restores dignity to someone who had long been ignored and alone. We may not be able to cure blindness, but we can offer company to someone who is lonely. From our abundance, we can share with those who have little. We can support organizations that go into the streets to care for the poor and forgotten. My friends, human suffering remains a mystery. We may never fully understand why it exists. But if our desire is to help, to heal and to love, then Christianity is the right place to be. Jesus saw suffering as a tragedy that demanded compassion and response. You and I are invited to join Him in that work. Yours in Christ, Fr. Robert Warren, S.A. Spiritual Director