FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT, YR A
1 Sam. 16:1b,6-7; Ps 23
Eph 5:8-114: Jn 9:1-41
JESUS THE LIGHT AND LIFE OF THE WORLD
After our encounter with Jesus as the Living Water, we meet him today in the context of he declaring, “I am the Light of the World.” (Jn 8:12) The Fourth Sunday of Lent presents us with the story of healing of the blind man from the gospel according to John (9:1-41). The gospel today, tackles the issue of suffering, Jesus’ Divinity and most importantly what is real blindness since he is the light of the world.
The gospel begins with Jesus meeting the blind man. The disciples wondered whether it was a result of the man’s own sins or that of the parents. This was a common belief in Judaism that any kind of suffering is a result of sin. In this story, Jesus disagrees with this assertion and rather states that there is a purpose for suffering. As far as Jesus is concerned the suffering and pains in our lives is to show the glory of God. Sometimes the suffering we go through is to prepare us something greater which lies ahead. But as in the story, it is an opportunity for God to show his greatness over every human problem. May the Lord grant you strength to bear every hardship in your life. May Jesus meet you too as he met the blind man in our gospel today.
Jesus’ healing of the blind man is quite different. Here he doesn’t command by his word, but he spits on the ground to make enough clay and used it to smear on the man’s eye. This takes our minds to the second account of creation in Genesis where God did not command the world into being but formed it with his own hands. Man was the first to be created and he was made from the clay of the ground. (Gen 2:7-8). There was also a believe among the Jews that Adam was created from spit and dust (clay).
When Jesus uses spittle and dust (clay) to heal, what he is doing here is that he is performing the divine act of creation. He by this, reveals his divinity. He gives the man new eyes. Anyone who follows the Lord, he forms him or her into a new man or woman. New in this context is not a restoration but potential and opportunity you have never had. Note that the man was said to have been blind from birth (Jn 9:1). Jesus reveals and opens up something in us that we have never been aware of. And it is only him who can form(create) that in us. May the Lord form in us the kind of newness that is acceptable to the Father.
Towards the end of the gospel Jesus addresses what real sight is. He said, “I came into this world for judgement so that those who could not see might see…”(Jn 9:39). What is blindness and what is sight. To the Pharisees, blindness is physical. It is when you are unable to see the material world around you, which to them is a result of sin. But to Jesus, true blindness is when a person is not able to see that he (Jesus) is from God. To have the ability to recognize the divinity of Jesus is true sight. It is to allow the light of his presence to hit the retina of our souls. To recognize that Jesus who died two thousand years ago died for you and saves you even now, is true sight. To recognize that it is only with Jesus that you have the right perspective of life, is true sight.
Jesus was the one who took the initiative to come to the man. As you read this piece it is the Lord Jesus, the Light of the World, taking the initiative to come into your life. He seeks to shed his light upon your life to drive out any kind of darkness. He desires to shed his light upon your path so that you discover some newness and a new way of life. He the light is the one who comes to you, to be your guiding light to the Father.
Lord Jesus come into our lives. We need some newness and freshness that only you can give. Grant us the strength to hold on to all that we face knowing that your power and majesty will be manifest.
Welcome Jesus into your life today.
God bless you.
By Fr. Delight Arnold Carbonu
