Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Lenten Gospel Reflections ~ 30 March 2014: The Man Born Blind ~ John 9: 1-41


If he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see.” ~ John 9:25

We live in a society which wants to know everything about everything. Our airwaves and print media are jammed with a great many opinions, but very little truth. The story of the man born blind is about three groups who encounter truth in very different ways.

The Pharisees’ stated purpose is to get to the bottom of this situation. They seem to want a factual accounting of what happened. But in point of fact their version of truth has already been predetermined. Anything which does not align with their world view must be wrong or untrue. There are many people today who, when information seems counter to there beliefs they simply ignore or discard it.

The parents are noncommittal. They just don’t take a stand and defer to their son. The man who was blind is a truth seeker. He shares the truths which he understands, and admits what he doesn’t know or understand.

So who is truly blind in this story? The man who was born blind recognizes Jesus as being “from God.” The Pharisees who were born sighted can not see (recognize) Jesus, the Son of God. They choose to be blinded by their beliefs.

As stewards of our faith we must come to realize our faith is not a destination, but a journey. Life is a series of encounters with truths and falsehoods. If we are biased we will only accept those things which support our world view. If we are noncommittal, life will simply wash over us. Like the man born blind we are called to be seekers of truth; people of God who find Jesus everywhere, everyday.

© 2011 James E. Carper.  All rights reserved.

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