Everyone loves a bonfire, it excites the imagination and touches the heart. Something about candle light also enthrals us, and their glow is far warmer and richer than any electric equivalent. In a few weeks time wečll be gathering around a fire and lighting candles. The symbolism is obvious - the Easter fire brings warmth to the chill of our human condition and the light of Christ comes to banish the darkness of our sinful world. The resurrection triumphs over the darkness of death.

Sunday's gospel, like all the others during Lent, helps us to prepare for the great Easter Vigil. The man born blind receives his sight, and comes to believe in Jesus as his Lord and Saviour. Across the world thousands have will have come to see that Jesus is the 'Light of the world'. At the Easter Vigil, in the waters of the font, they will be reborn and Œenlightenedč by Christ. They are then children of the Light. And so are we who were baptised years ago. We will light our Easter candles and renew our baptismal promises, re-committing ourselves to Christ as our Lord and Saviour.

In their teaching on the Church, the Bishops at Vatican II reminded us that 'Christ is the light of humanity'. We are called to reflect his light in our Christian communities and our daily lives. The Easter Vigil is a powerful symbol of what we are called to be as individuals and as a Church.

P.D.