As they were passing by Jesus “saw” a man blind from birth. Jesus sees those who are suffering in the world. He sees us in our suffering and his heart goes out to us. The world passes by this blind man every day and yet, no one who passes by him can do anything to heal his darkness. Too often we are blind to the suffering people in our world today who live in the darkness of a world broken by original sin. We have no power to heal the brokenness of our world. Only God’s grace can bring about a new creation.
In the midst of our trials and suffering, Jesus sees us - not as disposable, worthless, broken human refuse but as children of God, beloved of the Father and potential children of the light and heirs to the kingdom of heaven. God sees his children in their suffering and sends his Son Jesus into the darkness of the world to suffer with us, and for us, and to be a shining light to guide us out of the darkness into the light of new life. God the Father sees us and loves us and has mercy on us. Our reading from Samuel reveals that, “Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart.” (1Sam 16,7) How does God see us? God looks into our hearts. He doesn’t see only the appearance of our weakness and sinfulness but rather, he sees the desire of our hearts to be healed and to have new life.
What the disciples see is something broken and they ask - who caused this? Was it the personal sin of the blind man or the sin of his parents? Too often we want to find someone to blame for the brokenness of our world but Jesus chooses not to play the blame game. He did not come into the world to condemn but to save and to bring light into the darkness so that we might see the works of God. Jesus tells Nicodemus in John chapter 3, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” (Jn 3,17) Jesus says clearly in John chapter 8, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (Jn 8,12) And in chapter 9, “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (Jn 9,5) Jesus brings the light of life and love into the world so that we might see and believe in the Father’s love, imitate him in his work of love and walk in his way of light. Jesus responds to his disciples: “it is so that the works of God might be made visible.” (Jn 9,3) Jesus came into the world so that we might not be blind and in darkness but so that we might live in the light and see the works of God. Jesus doesn’t point to people’s sin in the world, he points to the work of God’s grace. If people are living in darkness it is because they prefer the darkness to the light. Jesus tells Nicodemus, “And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.” (Jn 3,20f)
St. Paul tells the Philippians: “For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work. Do everything without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world, as you hold on to the word of life.” (Phil 2,13-16) The Psalmist proclaims in a word of praise: “How great are your works, Lord! How profound your purpose! A senseless person cannot know this, a fool cannot comprehend.” (Ps 92,6f) The fool and the wicked person says in Psalm 94, “The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob takes no notice.” But God does see the suffering brought on by original sin in the world and he does something about it. He sends his Son into the world to be the light of the world and to bring about new life and salvation.
Jesus makes clay from the earth and rubs it into the blind man’s eyes. This reminds us of Genesis when God created human beings from the clay of the earth and the breath of the Spirit. This is an act of creation, new life, new vision, a new opportunity for a full and abundant life. This blind man is not just healed of his blindness but he is given new eyes of faith to enable him to see clearly the work of God. He is instructed to “go and wash in the Pool of Siloam - which means Sent”. (Jn 9,7) This washing in the pool to receive new sight prefigures the sacrament of baptism. A man, born without the capacity to see, is now able to see clearly. All of us in one way or another are blind from birth and in need of new eyes, new sight and the new life that comes with our baptism. One way or another we are living in the darkness but Jesus comes into the world as the light of the world. Light, love and life are all works of God’s grace and mercy that will bring about a new creation.
Though the blind man sees and professes his belief, calling Jesus, “Lord”, and worshipping him, many around him remain blind to the work of God’s grace in the world - they choose to be blind and to live in the darkness of their ignorance, their agnosticism. Are we able to see the work of God around us and to stand in God’s grace and mercy? We have been placed on the sidelines of life. Many people want to blame and complain but Jesus reminds us that we need to stand in his light and see the works of God made visible.
There are many ways that God is at work at this time - we need to have the eyes to see it. To see it we need to look into the light of Christ. We need, in faith, to look beyond the appearance of things and look into the heart - we need to be children of the light and perform the works of light.
Where are you at this time? Can you see the work of God made visible in your life and in the lives of others? Are you able to reach out to others as a child of the light and be a part of the healing of the world?
Christ Jesus, be our light, drive out the darkness of sin, fear, anxiety and doubt and fill our hearts with your Holy Spirit of love. May we profess with the man born blind, “I do believe, Lord,” (Jn 9,38) and worship the Lord for his mercy, love and forgiveness. May we see and believe, having been born anew in the waters of the Sent, in the waters of baptism, and may we always proclaim you as Lord in our lives! Amen!