Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Images of being called from darkness into light abound. For the parishes celebrating Baptism at Easter Vigil, we read the Cycle A readings on the third, fourth and fifth Sunday. The readings all speak of conversion. Today we fall directly between the fourth Sunday in which the man born blind, in darkness, comes to see the light. This light is both physical and spiritual. The raising of Lazarus, the gospel for the coming Sunday, literally raises a man from the darkness of a tomb into the light.
Today’s readings certainly echo the theme of these Sunday’s. “To those in darkness: Show yourselves!” It is this reading from Isaiah where we find one of the more beautiful images of God as mother. Thus while the gospel today and most of imagery is male, we have this image of God as the mother who made us and will never forget us. In this whole chapter of Isaiah, God is a loving mother who forgives us when we make mistakes, embraces us when we need comforted. God nurtures us through difficult times and acts gently towards us at all times. God shows compassion for the people of the covenant.
The Hebrew root of the word compassion means “womb.” Thus a God will never forget the suffering of God’s people, is by definition a God of the womb, a God who offers us motherly tenderness. Reflect upon the motherly figures in your life. Perhaps a birth mother, a grandmother, an adoptive mother or a godmother? How do you see God’s love reflected in her love? Offer prayers of gratitude for this person for all of the ways they brought you out of darkness of the womb into life.
"God, out of darkness, You have lovingly called us. Christ, You have claimed us to be God’s people. Lord, help us always to walk in Your marvelous light, so that in our thoughts, words and actions, we are the encounter with Christ that calls others out of darkness. Amen!"
- Michael Montgomery