The Gospel for the last Sunday before Lent tells of a blind man whose sight Jesus restored, and of Jesus’ disciples who, in a spiritual sense, were even blinder than that blind man. When Jesus told them about the suffering, death, and resurrection that awaited Him in Jerusalem, “they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken”.

After Jesus had told the people the parable of the Sower, His disciples asked Him, “What might this parable be?” Jesus answered, “Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.”

One of the most sublime moments in the history of the Olympics took place in Barcelona in 1992. The British sprinter Derek Redmond won the first round of the 400-meter race with the fastest time and was on course to win his quarter-final. Unfortunately, 250 meters before the finish, his hamstring tore. He tried to run on, but the pain was so intense that it was almost impossible. Seeing this, his father ran to him, despite the efforts of security guards and officials to stop him. Derek later recalled that his father told him: “You don’t have to do this. You don’t have to put yourself through this.” But Derek insisted. He had to finish. “Well, then,” his father said, “we’re going to finish this together.” He put his son's arm around his neck and walked him to the finish line, holding him tightly.

Saint Paul uses an interesting metaphor in today's Epistle, speaking of virtues as different garments worn one on top of the other. These garments are: a heart of compassion, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, forgiving one another, and charity.

At the beginning of the third chapter of the Book of Malachi, there is a promise: “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.”

Today we celebrate the day when this promise was fulfilled: Jesus, who was forty days old, was brought to the temple – in order to offer two sacrifices according to the Law of Moses: one for the ritual purification of His mother and the other for the redeeming of Jesus as the firstborn of Mary.