Written by Ven. Ralph Leavitt
John 9: 1-41
“I am the light of the world” John 9:5
Often one of our human failings is that we want to lay blame upon someone when things go wrong. And if I am truthful, I must admit, I do not like to take the blame myself. It hurts my ego! Better to blame someone else. Not very Christian is it?
I want us to look mainly at our Gospel lesson today that starts by wanting to lay blame. Jesus and his disciples saw a man, blind from birth, as they were walking along. The disciples ask Jesus; “who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” In other words, who is to blame?
A bit of background. It was widely believed in Jesus’ day that if someone was born blind, sin had to be involved. So the disciples are asking a fair question given their cultural history. This blind man had been an outcast from his birth. His infirmity had kept him out of the temple, out of any community, and forced him into a career of begging. He was seen as the lowest of the low.
The first amazing thing about this story is that Jesus actually looks at the blind man, notices him and talks to him. Everyone else leaving the Temple, the disciples, the Pharisees, and the faithful would have just walked by. This man was just another beggar. But not Jesus. Jesus treats this man as an equal. The disciples are somewhat shocked, and hence their question about who sinned. What does Jesus do next? Jesus, leans down and makes a mud paste with his spit, and puts it on the blind man’s eyes, and tells him to go and wash in the Pool at Siloam. Not the most elegant healing healing method I have come across! However the blind man is healed. He can see.
And in our story there are actually three healings that take place in this man. First the man is healed physically, he is given sight for the first time. Secondly, he is healed emotionally. Anyone blind from birth who recovers their sight must learn how to see. It is often overwhelming. Jesus heals him so he can cope with sight right away. And finally, Jesus heals him spiritually. The blind man comes to the place where he can shout with joy, “Lord, I believe!” And then he worships Jesus. In short, this healing has made this man whole again, he is a new creation. Jesus tells the disciples that this man was born blind so God’s works might be revealed in him. No blame whatsoever.
The community’s reaction to this miracle is a bit shocking. First, the community is shocked. They cannot believe that the old blind beggar can see, and they want an explanation. How were your eyes opened? They ask. The beggar tells them what happened and of Jesus, but they do not believe him.
They take the man to the Pharisees and things get worse. The Pharisees say that Jesus is a sinner because he has healed on the Sabbath. Jesus wants the Pharisees to see that their allegiance had fatally shifted. They were holding up a law that prevented people from seeing God’s miracle of healing. Jesus, who to the Pharisees is both a sinner and not of God, tries to make them see God’s glory. Unfortunately Jesus does not succeed with the Pharisees. He cannot heal them, for they wish to remain blind.
Even the blind man’s parents are asked about why their son was healed, and they smartly reply He will speak for himself. Yet things go from bad to worse as the Pharisees now throw this healed man out saying You were born in sin, and you are trying to teach us? They reject the man and Jesus.
So the first aspect that Jesus is trying to teach his disciples, and us here today, is not to ever have prejudice or injustice in our life. Not to blame. If we do we will reject people with no true basis. Rather Jesus wants us all to always act with love and truth.
Our Old Testament lesson clearly illustrates again how a cultural norn can keep people from seeing God at work. Samuel is instructed to go and find the Lord’s anointed one. Samuel expected that Jesse’s oldest son would be the anointed one, after all that was the custom, the oldest got the blessing. But the Lord said to Samuel, as the Lord reminds us this morning, “the Lord does not see mortals as mortals see; they look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” The Lord looks on the heart. And it was David who was chosen, the least likely for many reasons. As we have just seen, Jesus chose the blind man, the least likely for many reasons. Why? Because Jesus looks at peoples’ hearts, heals them and lifts them up. No blame. Just glory to God.
Secondly, Jesus is trying to teach his disciples that he is the light of the world. He says I came into the world for judgement so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind”. Jesus has confronted peoples’ prejudices and their injustice. And now he wants to shine his light on that situation. Shine God’s light that will bring forth truth and love. Light that tells the world of God’s kingdom’s values. What Jesus is utimately saying is that the subject here is not sin, or blame. The true subject here is God’s glory. The true subject here is that Jesus is the light of the world. And God’s glory will be revealed though it. Further, Jesus wants us all to live as children of light. Live as his children, live as his disciples. Be the church.
So here we are, heading towards the end of Lent. Every Lent is a voyage from darkness to light. From spiritual blindness to deeper faith. At the beginning of Lent we asked God to make in us true and contrite hearts. How is it going? On Ash Wednesday you were invited, in the name of the Lord to observe a holy Lent by self examination, penitence, prayer, fasting, almsgiving and by reading and meditating on the word of the Lord. I hope you have been able todo some of these things. Now, on this 4th Sunday of Lent we have another 14 days left to Palm Sunday and Holy Week. Perhaps now is a good time to check in with the Lord , and remember that Jesus is the light of the world. Is there an area in your life right now that is a bit dark? Allow Christ, the light of the world, to shine upon you so that you too may see God’s glory at work. May Jesus expose in us all any prejudice, injustice or untruth in our lives. May we be reconciled to our true selves in Christ.
I end by reading again some words from our Ephesians reading: The apostle Paul reminds us:“For once you were in darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light.” First of all, know that Jesus walks with you. Know that the light of the world is right beside you and is ready to cast out any darkness. Know that Jesus has stopped beside you, he has noticed you and he knows you. And he wants God’s glory to be manifest in you. So, in the next 14 days allow Jesus to walk with you, encourage you and have you grow in faith. May you always live as a child of light.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
