Conversion – from darkness to light
THE WORD IN LENT 2026 – TUESDAY FOURTH WEEK
March 17 – Ezekiel 47: 1-9, 12; John 5: 1-3, 5-16
Conversion, is the internal journey from darkness to light – that is the theme the Word continues to reiterate this week! We know what it takes to undertake this journey from the obscurities of our daily life towards the light that leads us to eternity. Although we know what it takes, we are not always in a position to undertake that journey. Our fears, failures, discouragements, temptations, doubts and compromises, prevent us from pulling ourselves up and moving towards that light that beckons us.
We have a very powerful example of this in the man whom we encounter in the Gospel passage today – ill for 38 years, the cleansing water right in front of his eyes, along with his inability to get to it… we are presented with an existential problem of knowing and choosing!
However, the Lord deconstructs that vision… the incredible and unlimited mercy of God says – what is there if you are unable to reach the healing waters, the life-giving Water is right there reaching out to you! That is the Gospel event today – Jesus, the life-giving water stands right in front of him asking, do you want to be well again? What an opportunity! All that the man manages to do is only lament that he is not able to go the waters, so unaware of who it is that stands looking over him! How many times this happens to us – when the Life-giving springs offer to renew us totally and give us a new and transformed life, we are out there asking for something so insignificant vis-à-vis the eternity.
The first reading pictures to us this in a more picturesque manner… the life-giving waters that flow from the sanctuary generating life wherever it flows, symbolising Christ who comes forth from the Father creating a new earth and new heavens as we reflected yesterday. Jesus reaches out to us and wants to enliven us in every way possible. All that we need to do is recognise that presence, allow the waters to flood into our lives and make us whole again.
The question is – are we ready to say, “Yes Lord, I wish to come alive again; wash me clean and enliven my entire self!” If we say so, we are choosing the light and leaving the darkness; we are encountering the life-giving water and being born anew! That is true conversion.
Fr Antony Christy is a Salesian Priest from 2005, who has a Masters in Philosophy (specialisation in Religion) and a Masters in Theology (Specialisation in Catechetics). He is currently pursuing his doctoral research in Theology at Salesian Pontifical University, Rome. Walking with the Young towards a World of Peace and Dialogue is the passion that fires him.