USCCB DAILY READINGS

Reflection:

When one consistently reads through the daily scriptures provided by the magisterium of our faith, he or she may begin to see the correlations between the Old Testament readings and the Gospel. Today, we read of Noah sending forth the dove only for it to return with no signs of life. He sends it a second time and it returns with an olive branch, signifying that the waters had begun to recede. On the third sending, the dove does not return.

In the Gospel we read of a blind man, led out of the city by Jesus. Jesus puts spittle on his eyes and the man can see objects moving about like walking trees. Jesus then lays his hands on the man’s eyes and he then sees clearly. The intention of these paired readings is linked with the responsorial Psalm and the Alleluia. “May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our hearts, that we may know what is the hope that belongs to his call.” (Eph 1:17-18)

As we listen to or read the readings, we are led out of the city and sent out of the ark. The second readings release us out again, but this time we return with even more understanding than after the first reading. The Gospel is the culmination in which our eyes are completely opened to God’s plan of salvation in Christ Jesus. This is the beauty of the Catholic faith and this is the beauty of Sacred Scripture. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reads, “Christians therefore read the Old Testament in the light of Christ crucified and risen. Such typological reading discloses the inexhaustible content of the Old Testament; but it must not make us forget that the Old Testament retains its own intrinsic value as Revelation reaffirmed by our Lord himself. Besides, the New Testament has to be read in the light of the Old. Early Christian catechesis made constant use of the Old Testament. As an old saying put it, the New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New.” (CCC 129)

We have one week until Lent begins. It is time to start relying heavily on the Word of God as the desert of trial looms on the horizon. A pre-Lenten challenge: Read the Catechism’s explanation on Sacred Scripture. (CCC 101-141)