Fourth Sunday of Lent (A)

March 22, 2020

Readings:

First Reading: 1 Samuel 16b, 6-7, 10-13a

Psalm 23 “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”

Second Reading: Ephesians 5: 8-14

Gospel reading according to John 9: 1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38 (or 9: 1-43)

+

Homily: The Man Born Blind

Back to his ministry in Jerusalem and while roaming around he saw a man born blind begging in one of the corners of the temple.  “As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from his birth” (John 9: 1).  His heart was moved with pity when he saw the misfortune condition (kalunus-lunos na kalagayan) of that beggar.  He cannot leave behind nor avoiding his glance with that poor blind man, did he want to alleviate his poor condition, so he came to him.

Without saying anything, he just bent down, spat with his saliva on the ground, made clay from the earth, and put it on the blind man’s eyes.   “He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared thee clay on his eyes and said to him, Go wash in the Pool of Siloam – which means Sent –.  So he went and washed, and came back able to see” (John 9: 6-7).  Maybe the blind man was surprised, caught unaware and was not able to move because there was someone touching his eyes with mud. He just heard a voice that he was commanded to go and wash his eyes at the Pool of Siloam which means “sent.”  Maybe somebody or his apostle or a relative helped him to go to the pool to wash the clay in his eyes.  And suddenly, he can see now.  Since his birth he was not able to see his family members, his surroundings, and maybe the temple in which his source of income comes from.  This time he can see everything, even the people surround him.  And he saw also Jesus who gave him sight but he did not know him yet.  As usual, Jesus after doing what is right and good for his neighbors, he left and moved and continued his journey.

The blind man became happy and rejoicing, for he can see clearly as in the noon day sun.  Those who knew him saw him and became perplexed for they knew he was blind since birth, but now he can see and rejoicing and even jumping on his both feet out of his thanksgiving.  “His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said, ‵Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?‵  Some said, ‵It is,‵ but others said, ‵No, he just looks like him.‵  He said, ‵I am′.” (John 9: 8-9).  His neighbors and those who knew him did not believe what they saw.  They were asking each other whether he was that blind man they knew or not.  Others said, it was he while others said that it was not he.  In the end, the former blind man confirmed that it was he.

To be sure that he was the blind man they knew and now he can use both of his eyes, his neighbors and those people who knew him brought him to the Pharisees to check whether he was telling the truth, for it was a miracle they were witnessing.  “They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees” (John 9: 13).  The Pharisees, the elders and the leaders of the temple have the right to declare whether a sinful man, like this man born blind is healed and forgiven, especially those with physical defects, those who are sick, lepers, and those who are possessed by demons, so they can go back to their homes and families, in their communities, and in worshipping in the temple, and to have a normal life.

It so happened that Jesus gave sight to the man born blind on a Sabbath.  Sabbath day for the Jews is rest and holy day.  No one, human or animal, is allowed to work on Sabbath.  “Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a Sabbath” (John 9: 14).  Nevertheless, for Jesus what is important is the life of the poor, the needy, the marginalized and the deprived.  For him it is better to do good on rest day than doing nothing to the one who needs dire help and mercy.  For Jesus to do good on Sabbath day is doing the will of God, for God continues creating and renewal all things.

When the Pharisees saw the man cured from his blinded, they became excited.  They wanted to hear all the details of the event.  They were amazed of the miracle in front of them. “So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see.  He said to them, ‵He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see‵.” (John 9: 15).  The man who now can see told them all the details and the evidence is now that he can see and nobody can deny or question the good things that happened to him for many knew he was born blind.

But some Pharisees who were strict to the Law of the Sabbath did not believe that it was made by God to give sight to the blind on the Sabbath day who God commanded himself to observe.  “So some of the Pharisees said, ‵This man is not from God, because he does not keep the Sabbath.  But others said, ‵How can a sinful man do such signs‵. And there was a division among them” (John 9: 16).  Some Pharisees present believed that it was truly made by God for it was good and full of love, mercy and compassion He showed to this man born blind.  God did not do bad nor worse to His children, especially those who are in dire need.

To avoid quarreling between all the Pharisees they asked the man who received grace of sight.  “So they said to the blind man again, ‵What do you have to say about him, since he opened your eyes?‵ He said, ‵He is a prophet‵ .” (John 9: 17).  Though it was not yet clear to him what was going on with the Pharisees for their lack of faith despite the evidence was already in their front.  So he declared to them and certified it that the man who healed him on a Sabbath is a prophet, the one sent by God.

The Pharisees felt insulted by the man.  So they called name names of him.  “They answered and said to him, ‵You were born totally in sin, and are you trying to teach us?‵ Then they threw him out” (John 9: 34).  The man, on his simplicity, humility and ordinariness, easily understood the working of God to all who need help and mercy, which the Pharisees because of their high education, training and learning did not reach the goodness and love of God.  It was hard to the Pharisees to understand why the sinners, such as those who are sick, ill, lepers, deformed, possessed by demons, are forgiven instantaneously by God.  That is how the feeling of the Pharisees when they heard what the man said regarding the person who cured him. They threw him out of the temple.  But the man full of thanksgiving, praising and worshipping God.  The Pharisees rejected God and not the man.

Jesus was still around in the temple area, watching and waiting of what will happen in the encounter between the man born blind and the Pharisees and the people in the temple.  He heard everything, even the throwing out of him from the temple.  “When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found him and said, ‵Do you believe in the Son of Man?′  He answered and said, ′Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?′” (John 9: 35-36).  He met the man born blind and talked to him with assurance.  He also asked the man if he believe to the one who cured him, in the Son of Man.  Because he was blind before so he did not know who this Son of Man is.  He asked Jesus to show to him who he is.  “Jesus said to him, ‵You have seen him and the one speaking with you is he‵.” (John 9: 37).  Jesus told him that he saw him already when he opened his eyes and see after washing in the Pool.  He said also that he is the one speaking to him – Jesus, the Son of Man and the Son of God.  “He said, ‵I do believe, Lord,‵ and he worshipped him” (John 9: 38).  Now that he can see clearly he knows to whom the belief and worship belong.