Jn. 9: 1-41
“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Today we are invited to continue our Lenten journey along with the man who was born blind and healed by Jesus. This passage presents to us three different kinds of attitudes towards a needy man.
The first one is that of Jesus. When Jesus came across this man who was born blind, he was moved with compassion and healed him. There was a belief among Jews that any deformity from the birth is a sure sign that either that person or his/her ancestors have sinned. Therefore, God punished that person with blindness. Anyhow, Jesus makes them understand that this man was born blind neither of his personal sins nor because of his parents but God’s glory may be manifested in him. Therefore, Jesus heals him on a Sabbath day. In the book of Genesis, we read that God fashioned human beings out of mud and breaths life to him. The One who created the entire cosmos with his words could do this deed. Similarly, Jesus spits on the ground and makes clay with the saliva and asks him to apply it to his eyes and ask him to wash in the pool of Siloam. Jesus, who is the source of life, gives new light and vision to this man who was born blind. The man who was born blind gets healed.
The second category of the people that we come across is the blind man himself and his parents. They have experienced the person of Jesus in a tangible manner. They have realized how precious is one’s eyesight and vision. Jesus has provided him this precious gift of vision that he lacked from birth. More than physical blindness he was spiritually blind, now he was touched by the one who is the source of light that enlightens all men. Having experienced Jesus they acknowledge Jesus publically.
Then we come across the third category of people who claimed to be having sight yet remained in their spiritual blindness. Though they have seen and experienced what Jesus has done in the life of the blind man; they did not want to acknowledge Jesus. They made all their possible effort to prove that this man was not born blind.
Dear friends as we continue our Lenten journey let us recourse to Jesus who is the source of light. Let us recognize the elements that cause spiritual blindness and earnestly pray like the blind: “Lord I believe.” so that Jesus who is the source of life wash away all the obstacles that hinder our vision from Jesus.