Readings:
1^st Reading; 1 Samuel 16 : 1, 6 – 7, 10 – 13.
Responsorial Psalm; Ps. 23.
2^nd Reading; Ephesians 5 : 8 – 14.
Gospel; John 9 : 1 – 41

Today’s first reading, tells us about the rite of Election of a new King in Israel. Saul the old King has been given his ‘attestation of service’. There is some fashion show as Jesse presents his sons one after the other but Samuel is warned not to judge by outward appearances, because God does not judge the easier, external way but deeply what is in the heart. David, the humanly rejected, is God’s own choice. The stone rejected becomes the corner stone. God calls and blesses the most unlikely.

Our Gospel gives an account of Jesus curing a man born blind. This happens on a Sabbath and brings the Pharisees on to the stage. The parents of the man cured are called to testify about their son’s blindness. Out of fear of being excommunicated, they play the polity of escapism.

One of the lessons from the readings is how we see. Jesse looks at the outward appearance and Samuel says no! God looks at the heart. The man born blind sees Jesus, believes in Him and worships Him but the Pharisees remain blinded and continue looking according to their old ways. They are blinded to the truth or they know where truth is and try to call it a different name, because accepting Jesus is a threat to their security. They are blinded by the sin of pride and the sin of prejudice.

One thing that blinds us from seeing God’s wisdom, beauty, goodness and truth is the sin of being untruthful. Deceit clouds the mind, leaves it in moral confusion and closes the heart to God’s love. The soul therefore becomes sick because of this. It is not necessarily physical sickness though physical sickness may also result from the ill-health of the soul. While sickness can befall us for several reasons: even good people exposed to germs will get sick; some people have the means and power to make innocent people sick, etc. So, sickness cannot be seen as only punitive from God. Paul however tells us in Romans 8:28 that “in everything, God works for the good of those who love Him”. The Jews believed that physical sickness was a result of sin and so would not allow the blind into the Temple. The blind man in the Gospel is not sick in the soul. The worst sickness is that of the soul not the physical and the most important eyes are the eyes of faith. Such eyes see more than the largest pairs of eyes.

Are we also blind? Yes, in so many ways, though we have eyes that see. We can distinguish so many forms of blindness. Selfishness blinds us to the needs of others. Insensitivity blinds us to the hurts that we cause others. Lack of empathy blinds us and makes us think that the whole world must move according to our desires. Snobbishness blinds us to the cries of our nearest. Satanic pride blinds us to our own faults. Prejudice blinds us to the truth. Haste blinds us from seeing the truth. Materialism blinds us to spirituality and makes us greedy. Superficiality blinds us and makes us to judge by what we see.

The Gospel tells us that Jesus is ever ready to heal us from the darkness of sin and deception that our blindness causes us. There is no sickness, whether physical, mental, emotional or spiritual that Jesus does not identify Himself with. Isaiah prophesied that the ‘Suffering Servant’ would be bruised for our iniquities and by his stripes, we would be healed (Isaiah 53:5). The Lord offers us freedom from our spiritual blindness due to sin and He restores us to wholeness of body , mind, soul and heart. He gives us our own gifts of sight from our blindness.

Like the blind man, we should not only accept this marvellous gifts but should be able, without fear or favour, to proclaim the greatness of God in our lives. This is a sure sign of faith, as the blind man had more faith in God than the Pharisees. You may have experienced your own moments of blindness – the times you cannot see any headway to a life threatening problem; the times a hurdle stands in your marriage path, in your profession, career, in your studies, in your business; the times the walls seem to be closing in on you and you are tempted to give up. Yet you walk over triumphantly without knowing how. The hand of a loving, caring God led you across. No doubt the Psalmist today proclaims “The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want; ..Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, For thou are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:1-4).

During this time of Lent, we are called upon to recall the times that we have acted like the Pharisees – seen truth and denied it, giving it another name in order to have our security. These are the times that we are blinded by wealth, countenance, health, enjoyment, fame and position. When we realise that we were blinded, we are called to receive and acknowledge God’s love, care and above all, forgiveness. These are God’s gift that we received at our Baptism. In the second reading, Paul summarises it all. ” You were darkness once, but now you are light in the Lord; be like children of light, for the effects of the light are seen in complete goodness and right living and truth (Ephesians 5:8-9).

A Little Prayer.

Lord Jesus, in your name, the blind see, the lame walk, the sick restored to health and even the dead raised to life. Come into my life and give me your light. Heal the wounds of my broken heart that have separated me from you. Give me eyes of faith to see your glory and a heart of courage to bring you glory in all that I say and do. Amen.

Have Blessed Week!
Bobe Talla Toh