Sunday 15th March 2026

LENT 4A 15th March 2026

A short act of worship and daily devotions

Opening Prayers

Take time to read this prayer:

God of all creation

I worship you.

You know me - what I need, what I rejoice in, what I’m nervous about.

You see me – as the unique individual you created with all my little habits and characteristics.

You hear me – when I pray aloud or silently,

You meet me – here and now and I am content,

God of all creation, I worship you. Amen

Wonder to yourself if you are really able to say the words. Imagine what it would be like to hear someone else say them for you. Notice how you feel as you read them. Take time to tell God what you’ve discovered. Then when you are ready and if you feel able say them aloud:

God of all creation

I worship you.

You know me - what I need, what I rejoice in, what I’m nervous about.

You see me – as the unique individual you created with all my little habits and characteristics.

You hear me – when I pray aloud or silently,

You meet me – here and now and I am content,

God of all creation, I worship you. Amen

You may now wish to say the Lord’s Prayer in a version or translation with which you are familiar

Reading: John 9:1-41 – Click for reading

Responding to the reading

The story in John 9 begins with a question that still echoes today: “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Even Jesus’ disciples assume that suffering must be someone’s fault. But Jesus refuses to play that game. He shifts the focus from blame to possibility, from sin to transformation.

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned… but so that God’s works might be revealed in him.”

And with that, the story unfolds: not just as a healing, but as a profound challenge to how we see: ourselves, others, and the presence of God.

The man, once blind, is given sight, but not just physical sight. He gains clarity about who Jesus is and what it means to be truly free. Meanwhile, those around him, especially the religious experts, are revealed to be the ones who cannot truly see.

For those of us committed to inclusion, equity, and justice, this passage reminds us how easily we, too, can become stuck in assumptions. We might not blame illness on sin, but we can still fall into the trap of using our understanding of faith to exclude or diminish others. John 9 invites us to ask:

What kinds of spiritual blindness still live within us? Whose voices are we quick to question or silence?

Jesus doesn’t just heal a man, he confronts a system. The healing disrupts expectations. It causes confusion. And it costs the man something: he is cast out of his religious community. But still, he tells the truth. He trusts what he has experienced. And he is not alone, Jesus finds him again.

In a world where truth can be uncomfortable and where doing the right thing can bring backlash, this story offers both challenge and hope:

• Challenge to examine our assumptions and biases.

• Hope that God is found not in spiritual perfection but in transformation.

• Inspiration to keep testifying to the light, even when others don’t understand.

  
  

So today, consider:

• Where do I need to see with new eyes?

• What assumptions about God, others, or myself might be limiting my vision?

• Am I willing to speak the truth of my experience, even when it’s unpopular?

  
  

The path of discipleship isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about continuing to grow, to see more clearly, to follow the One who opens eyes: not just to miracles, but to justice, mercy, and grace.

May you walk in the light, not because you’ve arrived, but because you are willing to keep your eyes open.

Responding in music

You may wish to use on or more of these songs to help reflect on the questions above and on what you might be hearing from the Spirit of God today. Do you notice any prompts as you allow yourself to sit in this space of worship?

370 STF – Breathe on me, Breath of God - YouTube

88 STF – Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation! - YouTube

545 STF – Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart - YouTube

Responding in prayer

As part of these prayers, you might like to listen to a version of the Katrina & the Waves’ Eurovision-winning song “Love, Shine a Light” online.

Let us pray:

“Love, shine a light in every corner of my heart”

Lord God, we can feel so lost in a world that seems so much bigger than we are, and lament many of the horrible situations that prevail in our daily news bulletins.

We must not lose hope. There is light, despite the darkness. Help us to let the light of Christ shine in us, wherever we go in the world.

“Light up the magic, in every little part”

Lord God, we can spend too much time lost and confused. Sometimes there seems no way forward in situations that are causing pain and torment.

We must not lose hope. There is light, despite the darkness. Help us to seek the new ways to move forward, help us to innovate, help us to be brave as we try something new.

“Like the mighty river, flowing from the stream”

Lord God, help us to see your light and beauty in the world around us. Help us to appreciate the sheer joy of nature, and also the light – your light – which shines in the people around us.

We must not lose hope. There is light, despite the darkness. Help us to see the light, to reflect the light, and to illuminate our beautiful world.

“We’re all gonna shine a light together”

We must not lose hope. There is light, despite the darkness.

Help us to seek connections with others to achieve more with our time.

“Love shine a light

Love shine a light

Love shine a light.”

In the name of Jesus, the source of light in the world, Amen.

Blessing

May you go out with joy, and be sent forth with peace. May the Spirit of God go with you, that you might be a person of peace to all who you meet this week. May you know the light of love in your life, And trust in Jesus every step of the way, Amen. ____________________________________________________________________

Prayers and Prayer Pointers For This Week

Monday 16th March

• Find a moment where you can get sight of the sky. (It can be in real life or through an image you have).

• Let your mind wander and imagine who else might too be looking up at the sky where they are. Consider the vast expanse of the sky. The many places it covers and the people who see it.

• Thank God for the gloriousness of the whole earth and all the people living under its sky.

Tuesday 17th March

• Thank you, O Lord, for the many blessings I have received. Help me to notice them and practice gratitude today, I pray.

• Amen.

Wednesday 18th March

• We are now exactly 4 weeks into the season of Lent – how is it going for you? What have you learned or noticed? What might you like to focus on for the last 2 and a half weeks?

• Pray about what comes up in your reflection.

Thursday 19th March

• Pour yourself a glass of water.

• As you do so give thanks for its easy access, its cleanliness & its restoring properties. Pray for those where access to water is limited or impossible and feels like a luxury. Pay attention to what you might do in your life that might help those in places where water is a scarce commodity.

Friday 20th March

• Pay attention to your hands:

• Spend a moment with your hands on your lap. Hold them open before God. Reflect on whose hands you have held in yours, the people you have shaken hands with, the gentle touch of friendship you have offered and received. Rest in the blessings of those encounters and give thanks.

Saturday 21st March

• Holy, holy, holy are you Lord, God of power and might. Help me to notice the ways in which I am set apart for your service today, and to follow the plans you have for me.

• In Jesus’ name, Amen.