Hello friends,
This is Mark Ludman,
Also known as Brother Frederick James,
Your friendly neighbourhood monk in docks,
Welcoming you to another Lenten Reflection as we move through each day reflecting on the I Am Statements of Jesus from the Gospel of John.
As we enter our time together,
I invite you to take a deep breath in,
Slowly exhale,
And let yourself arrive fully in this moment,
Setting aside any distractions,
Any worries or expectations.
Now,
Just before this section of John's Gospel that we've been in for the last couple of days,
Jesus heals somebody who is blind,
And so for a moment,
Imagine yourself standing in complete darkness.
At first,
The unknown feels unsettling.
You reach out,
You're searching for something to grasp,
Something familiar.
But then,
A voice speaks,
I came into this world for judgement,
So that those who do not see,
May see,
And those who do see,
May become blind.
Jesus is speaking of a paradox here,
One that says that to truly see,
We must first recognise our blindness.
How often do we cling to our understanding of things,
Believing we see things clearly,
Only to realise later that we were mistaken.
Jesus reminds us that spiritual sight does not come from certainty,
But from surrender.
What if true vision isn't about knowing all the answers,
But about trusting the one who does.
Here's a few questions to think about today.
Are there areas of your life where you are holding tightly to control?
Are there situations where you struggle to trust God's greater vision?
What might happen if you released the need for certainty,
And opened yourself to divine wisdom instead?
Close your eyes for a moment.
Imagine holding in your hands everything you think you know,
Your plans,
Your expectations,
Your worries.
Now,
Picture Jesus standing before you,
His presence full of peace.
He gently asks,
Will you trust me?
Slowly open your hands.
Let go of the need to control.
Let go of the fear of the unknown.
Let go of the assumptions that may be clouding your vision.
And now imagine light beginning to dawn,
Not blinding but gentle,
Illuminating each step before you.
You don't have to see the whole path.
You only need to trust the one who leads you.
And as the light continues to become brighter,
You see the gate,
You see the door,
You see the shepherd.
Let's pray.
Jesus our light and our shepherd,
We surrender our limited sight to you.
Help us to let go of control that we may receive your wisdom.
Give us the humility to acknowledge what we do not know,
So that we may be open to your greater truth.
Lead us step by step in trust,
Knowing that you are our guide,
Our vision,
Our source of life.
As you go forth today,
May you walk not only by the certainty of your own understanding,
But by the trust that God sees what you cannot.
And rather than trying to fumble for the door,
Can you listen for the voice that calls you to the gate.
Now as you breathe in and out,
May you surrender the need to have all the answers so that you can truly see.
And may grace,
Peace and love guide you and be your way.
Every step of the way.
Amen.
Until tomorrow,
Peace be with you.
