OUR DAILY VITAMIN FOR THE SOUL THIS SUNDAY... 30 March. Jesus and the man born blind Jn 9:1-41 [9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38] 1As [Jesus] passed by he saw a man blind from birth. 6He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes, 7and said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed, and came back able to see. 8His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?” 9Some said, “It is,” but others said, “No, he just looks like him.” He said, “I am.” 13They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees. 14Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath. 15So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.” 16So some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he does not keep the sabbath.” [But] others said, “How can a sinful man do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17So they said to the blind man again, “What do you have to say about him, since he opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.” 34They answered and said to him, “You were born totally in sin, and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out. 35When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36He answered and said, “Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37Jesus said to him, “You have seen him and the one speaking with you is he.” 38He said, “I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him. Reflection & Challenge: THE LIGHT THAT MAKES ONE SEE OR RENDERS ONE BLIND. The evangelist John develops the cure of the man born blind into a “sign” narrative. Focus is not on the actual cure but on the drama that follows. It tells us who Jesus is and explores the meaning of sin. Having revealed himself as “the light of the world” (Jn 8:12), Jesus now gives sight to the blind man. In the commonly accepted theology of the time, God punishes the wicked and rewards the righteous. Blindness is thought to be a sign of God’s judgment. The disciples ask whose sin caused the man’s blindness, and the religious leaders tell the man that he was totally born in sin. Jesus denies that the blind man’s condition is the result of sin, and affirms that God’s works will be revealed in him. Jesus heals the man and creates “new sight” in him. This enables him to recognize Jesus as a man sent by God, even if the Pharisees insist that the healer is an impostor. The man is thrown out of the synagogue, yet he persists in his belief, finally worshipping Jesus. This man who was blind has come to real sight. Conversely, the blindness of the Pharisees is being exposed. They accuse the man of sin because of being born blind—and Jesus, too, because he cures on the Sabbath. They are the ones truly blind—and sinful. Sin consists not in being born blind or unbelieving, but in refusing to believe even if one has seen the power of God at work. Jesus, in your name the blind see, the lame walk, and the dead are raised to life. Come into our lives and heal the wounds of our broken hearts. Give us eyes of faith to see your glory and hearts of courage to bring you glory in all we say and do. AMEN. Have a wonderful Sunday. (365 days with our Lord)
Posted on: Sat, 29 Mar 2014 23:47:07 +0000
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