Today's Message: 4th Sunday of Lent A
1 Samuel 16:1, 6-7, 10-13; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41
Am I blind? Am I blind to what goes on around me? Am I blind to what God is telling me each day? Am I blind in following the teachings of the Church? Do I choose what I want and disregard the rest? Am I blind to the commandments of God? Do I chose what I want to follow and disregard the others? Am I blind to Jesus’ triple command of love: to love the Lord with all my heart, mind, soul, strength … to love my neighbor, who is everyone in my life and in the world … to love myself? Do I choose what I want to follow and when I want to follow it? Do I put conditions on God/Jesus’ commandments, adding stipulations that God did not put there nor intend?
Do I view suffering in my life as being sent by God as a punishment for past deeds or omissions? Do I feel that God is not present with me in my suffering? Do I feel that my helping of a person in need -- a person who is suffering physically, psychologically or spiritually -- will never be worthwhile because their "disability" is from God? Did I ever want to change myself physically to be "more perfect" or "better" since I didn’t like my appearance the way it was? Do I feel that God punishes young babies with deformities? Have I noticed that God seems to provide parents of children with deformities or illnesses with special graces and abilities to help their child? Do I sometimes feel that evil is from God? If God is good, how can there be evil and suffering in the world?
We probably have asked one or more of these questions in our lifetimes. If so, my responses to them have formed my image of God. Is my image of God now exactly what God really is like?
TO BRING THIS UP TO DATE: We have been absorbed with the coronavirus and the massive toll of suffering all over the world. It is close to home: I live in Williamsburg and we are now the "epicenter" of the pandemic in Virginia. Not a comforting thought. How can God love us in and through this pandemic? Today’s scripture readings give us a view of God that contrasts with what "people" felt God was like, leading us to our God of love, compassion, forgiveness and care.
King Saul continually upset God. In 1 Samuel 15:10-11 we hear, “Then the Lord spoke to Samuel, ‘I regret having made Saul king, for he has turned from Me and has not kept My command.'” For this reason God sends Samuel to "find" the right mix for the new king from Jesse’s sons. Jesse is certainly judging from mere outward appearances in first choosing Eliab who is tall and strong. God rejects him. What beautiful words follow, leading us to see how God judges each of us: “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart.’” God also rejects the other sons. Now Jesse doesn’t have high regard for David. How could he be a warrior and leader king? What good could come from him: He’s just a shepherd, nothing more? Even with all his warts and sinfulness, David becomes the greatest of Israel’s kings. As with the Pharisees in the Gospel and with us too, God sees people’s inner selves. Most of the time, we look only at outward appearances, possessions or honors. One author shares a wonderful truism: "Because the world sees only faces, plastic surgeons earn fortunes making them pleasing." How do I judge? Do I try to see love in people as God does?
Paul is repeating the Gospel theme of darkness and light, which today is a good indicator of suffering. Sometimes light indicates every kind of goodness, and darkness in its subtleness shows hiding and underhandedness and evil. Sometimes the light of suffering appears as unattractive as the darkness of self-satisfaction. Paul is emphasizing how we are to transform ourselves: “Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth. Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness.” A Lenten reflection: Can I be seen as a joyful, faith-filled person, relying on God’s grace bring His love to our world?
The Gospel story of Jesus healing the blind man is told on two levels. The first is the narrative of healing a blind man, manifesting that Jesus is the light of the world. Verse 5: “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” There is also another level: The Christians of John’s time have a deep fear of being excluded from the synagogue, as seen in the parents of the blind man. Now we notice in this account that the blind man does not ask to be healed and there is no ongoing conversation with Jesus. Jesus does reject the traditional understanding that blindness is a result of sin. So often, way too often, we hear the phrase: God is punishing you because you told a fib … hurt yourself … lost a job ... whatever … all not true. The Pharisees can’t understand what has happened. Jesus must be a sinner, because He healed on the Sabbath … He also worked, making mud on the Sabbath which was prohibited. The reality we all see is that the Pharisees are blind, for they can’t recognize God in and through the words and miracles of Jesus. Can I? The blind man is thrown out of the Temple and then encounters Jesus again. This time he makes his profession of faith: He believes Jesus is the Son of Man and Lord. This is what it really means to see. Do I see all of what Jesus is to me? Why He came? How He loves me? Among so many kinds of blindness, spiritual blindness is the worst. It prevents our ability to see ourselves as God sees us. It stops us from using and developing our God-given gifts to help others and bring us closer to God. It puts a negative stamp on our thinking: "I just can’t do this" … keeping us from realizing that God’s grace is always present and helping us. God loves me. God loves you. God needs me. God needs you. He needs us so that the world can see Him through us.
So I reflect on:
“The opening question of the disciples was, ‘Who is to blame?’ This is a common question in the media today; perhaps it is part of my own vocabulary. Jesus reminds us that sometimes no one is to blame but that difficult situations present an opportunity for us to be drawn into God’s presence.
“Lord there were times I was lost and found, was blind and then could see. Thank you. The man’s blindness is cured, but the blindness of those who won’t believe in Jesus remains. I think of how I grope, stumble and am unsure of my direction unless I can rely on Jesus, the light of the world.”
Am I blind? Am I blind to what goes on around me? Am I blind to what God is telling me each day? Am I blind in following the teachings of the Church? Do I choose what I want and disregard the rest? Am I blind to the commandments of God? Do I chose what I want to follow and disregard the others? Am I blind to Jesus’ triple command of love: to love the Lord with all my heart, mind, soul, strength … to love my neighbor, who is everyone in my life and in the world … to love myself? Do I choose what I want to follow and when I want to follow it? Do I put conditions on God/Jesus’ commandments, adding stipulations that God did not put there nor intend?
Do I view suffering in my life as being sent by God as a punishment for past deeds or omissions? Do I feel that God is not present with me in my suffering? Do I feel that my helping of a person in need -- a person who is suffering physically, psychologically or spiritually -- will never be worthwhile because their "disability" is from God? Did I ever want to change myself physically to be "more perfect" or "better" since I didn’t like my appearance the way it was? Do I feel that God punishes young babies with deformities? Have I noticed that God seems to provide parents of children with deformities or illnesses with special graces and abilities to help their child? Do I sometimes feel that evil is from God? If God is good, how can there be evil and suffering in the world?
We probably have asked one or more of these questions in our lifetimes. If so, my responses to them have formed my image of God. Is my image of God now exactly what God really is like?
TO BRING THIS UP TO DATE: We have been absorbed with the coronavirus and the massive toll of suffering all over the world. It is close to home: I live in Williamsburg and we are now the "epicenter" of the pandemic in Virginia. Not a comforting thought. How can God love us in and through this pandemic? Today’s scripture readings give us a view of God that contrasts with what "people" felt God was like, leading us to our God of love, compassion, forgiveness and care.
King Saul continually upset God. In 1 Samuel 15:10-11 we hear, “Then the Lord spoke to Samuel, ‘I regret having made Saul king, for he has turned from Me and has not kept My command.'” For this reason God sends Samuel to "find" the right mix for the new king from Jesse’s sons. Jesse is certainly judging from mere outward appearances in first choosing Eliab who is tall and strong. God rejects him. What beautiful words follow, leading us to see how God judges each of us: “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart.’” God also rejects the other sons. Now Jesse doesn’t have high regard for David. How could he be a warrior and leader king? What good could come from him: He’s just a shepherd, nothing more? Even with all his warts and sinfulness, David becomes the greatest of Israel’s kings. As with the Pharisees in the Gospel and with us too, God sees people’s inner selves. Most of the time, we look only at outward appearances, possessions or honors. One author shares a wonderful truism: "Because the world sees only faces, plastic surgeons earn fortunes making them pleasing." How do I judge? Do I try to see love in people as God does?
Paul is repeating the Gospel theme of darkness and light, which today is a good indicator of suffering. Sometimes light indicates every kind of goodness, and darkness in its subtleness shows hiding and underhandedness and evil. Sometimes the light of suffering appears as unattractive as the darkness of self-satisfaction. Paul is emphasizing how we are to transform ourselves: “Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth. Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness.” A Lenten reflection: Can I be seen as a joyful, faith-filled person, relying on God’s grace bring His love to our world?
The Gospel story of Jesus healing the blind man is told on two levels. The first is the narrative of healing a blind man, manifesting that Jesus is the light of the world. Verse 5: “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” There is also another level: The Christians of John’s time have a deep fear of being excluded from the synagogue, as seen in the parents of the blind man. Now we notice in this account that the blind man does not ask to be healed and there is no ongoing conversation with Jesus. Jesus does reject the traditional understanding that blindness is a result of sin. So often, way too often, we hear the phrase: God is punishing you because you told a fib … hurt yourself … lost a job ... whatever … all not true. The Pharisees can’t understand what has happened. Jesus must be a sinner, because He healed on the Sabbath … He also worked, making mud on the Sabbath which was prohibited. The reality we all see is that the Pharisees are blind, for they can’t recognize God in and through the words and miracles of Jesus. Can I? The blind man is thrown out of the Temple and then encounters Jesus again. This time he makes his profession of faith: He believes Jesus is the Son of Man and Lord. This is what it really means to see. Do I see all of what Jesus is to me? Why He came? How He loves me? Among so many kinds of blindness, spiritual blindness is the worst. It prevents our ability to see ourselves as God sees us. It stops us from using and developing our God-given gifts to help others and bring us closer to God. It puts a negative stamp on our thinking: "I just can’t do this" … keeping us from realizing that God’s grace is always present and helping us. God loves me. God loves you. God needs me. God needs you. He needs us so that the world can see Him through us.
So I reflect on:
- The pandemic is bringing fear, depression and despair all over. Am I praying for those in authority, those scientists and medical experts who are working on vaccines? Am I showing God’s light of love to those around me who feel hopeless and directionless? Can people see in me the Person the blind man saw when he was given sight?
- Have I ever felt like the man born blind? Where did help and hope come from?
- Do I believe that God allows suffering? Do I believe I cause some of my own suffering? Does sharing my hurts and concerns with others help lessen my pain?
- Paul Claudel, a French spiritual writer, wrote: "Jesus did not come to take away suffering but to fill it with His presence!"
- Do I believe that I am the way to show God’s presence to my world?
“The opening question of the disciples was, ‘Who is to blame?’ This is a common question in the media today; perhaps it is part of my own vocabulary. Jesus reminds us that sometimes no one is to blame but that difficult situations present an opportunity for us to be drawn into God’s presence.
“Lord there were times I was lost and found, was blind and then could see. Thank you. The man’s blindness is cured, but the blindness of those who won’t believe in Jesus remains. I think of how I grope, stumble and am unsure of my direction unless I can rely on Jesus, the light of the world.”
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