CHRIST-VISION Fourth SUNDAY OF LENT There is story about Buddha, the founder of Buddhism। One day he was meditating sitting under a tree. A soldier happened to go by that way. He did not like the physical make up of Buddha. He said, “You look like a pig”. Buddha looked at him with a smile and responded,” You look like God”. The soldier was amazed to hear that. “Why did you say that?” the soldier asked Buddha. Buddha said, “The whole morning I was meditating on God in my heart. When I see you in that spirit, I could see the image of God in you”.

See the way God sees! This is an important message of our scripture readings for the fourth Sunday of Lent।

Our vision is most of the time colored with too many distractions of the world। Our criteria for seeing, evaluating and judging are different. Very often external appearances influence our judgment. Our first reading for this Sunday very well substantiates this point. Samuel visited Jesse’s home to anoint one of his eight sons as the king of Israel. Jesse, however, presented only seven sons before Samuel. He could not imagine David, the youngest, leading his country. Therefore, he was not bothered to present him before Samuel. God, however, had a different plan. In the eyes of God, David was the best suited among the eight children. “Man sees the appearance but God sees the heart.” Remember the call narrative of the first disciples. In Peter and his brother Andrew, Jesus saw ‘fishers of men’.

If we see the way God see, things will be much better in our world today। To see the world the way God sees, we need to wear the glasses of God. Jesus is God’s eyeglasses for us. He is the light of God. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world those who follow me will not fall in darkness but will have them the light of life.” The Blind man in the gospel story recognized this truth. He came to Jesus and returned home with a new vision.

Many of us are living in darkness। Some of us are not even aware that we are in darkness। Two things are important for a Christ-vision. First, we need to stand before Jesus (in prayer). In his light, we see our true self. What destroys us is not our sinfulness but the pretention in which we hide our sinfulness. Second, like Buddha, we need to meditate on Jesus. We become what we meditate. As Paul says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

Like the ancient Gurus of India, let us pray: ASATHOMA SATHGAMAYA (from unreal to real) THAMASOMA JOTHIRGAMAYA (from darkness to light) MRUTHYORMA AMRUTHAM GAMAYA (from death to eternity)

This is a sacred prayer belongs to Sama Veda (HINDU SCRIPTURE)। The spiritual significance that is implanted in this Stanza is an advice given by a Master to his qualified disciple। He asks the disciple to pray the Divine for Its mercy to liberate him from the thralldom of Samsara.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------