Today's gospel reading from John 9:1-41 is always one that I had trouble understanding in the past. About Jesus and the blind man whom He cured. The fact that the blind man was cured was not what confused me. It was HOW Jesus cured the blind man. By spitting into the mud, rubbing it on the man's eyes, then having him go wash in the pool of Siloam. The confusing part in my head in the past was always... "why all the rigamorole?" Why the spit and the mud, and the pasting things onto eye sockets, and washing it off afterwards in a special pool, when we all KNOW that Jesus could say a single word and heal the guy. Of course He could do that, because He HAD done it for others. "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed" the centurion begged Jesus to his heal trusted aide. And it was so. By a word, Jesus healed the centurion's servant. But in the case of the blind man, Jesus didn't just "say a word". He used STUFF, physical stuff. And required ACTION on the part of the blind man.
This, to me, is the epitome of a sacrament. The exact definition of a sacrament is that it is “an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace.” So, in a sacrament, there is something VISIBLE and TANGIBLE to show us what is happening INVISIBLY (the receiving of grace). In the case of the blind man, Christ spit into the mud, and mixed the holiness of Himself into the earth. Literally. He infused His holiness into the most humble of things... dirt... and then applied it to the injured part of the man. And then he told the man to do something. The application alone wasn't enough to cure his blindness (although it COULD have, if Jesus had willed it to be so, obviously). But Christ didn't stop there for this man, for a very deliberate reason. "He said 'Go wash in the Pool of Siloam' —which means Sent—. So he went and washed, and came back able to see."
Jesus told the man to go to the place which means to send forth [the CHURCH!!!. Whose mission is to "go forth and make disciples of all men!"], and once there, He told the man to wash [BE BAPTIZED!] in order to be healed. This all required action and obedience on the part of the blind man, or he wouldn't have been healed. Jesus offered him the gift of healing, but demanded something of him in return. BELIEVE what I am telling you, and ACT on it.
Today, this reading suddenly came into crystal clear focus for me. Funny that a story about a blind man being suddenly able to see had shown me how blind I had been up until now, in regards to what Jesus was truly trying to say through His actions. The "AHA!" moment was very real this morning. Like... "how could I not have seen that before??? It seems so obvious now!"
And the resulting skepticism of the Pharisees, who persisted in their "blindness" even after seeing this miracle reminds me of so many who refuse to see the power of the sacraments that Christ has given to THEM as a gift. "I came into this world for judgement, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind." Christ said. I have been told several times that partaking of the sacraments constitutes a "WORK" on my part, and that I am trying to "EARN MY SALVATION" by participating in them. Just like the Pharisees, who tried to condemn the miracle Jesus did as a WORK done on the Sabbath. This one gospel reading elucidates so much of what is misunderstood in Christ's church today!! Jesus told the blind man to GO and WASH in order to receive the gift of healing. Present yourself to the church and be baptized, become part of MY family, Christ implores us, in order to receive the healing He is offering. In order to receive the forgiveness of sins, the healing of our souls.
No wonder the reading was so long this morning. ONE STORY... so many answers to so many questions!! We just have to SEE!!
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
No comments:
Post a Comment