Table of Contents
Sunday of the Sixth Week
John (9:1 – 41). When shall you say, “’Though I was blind, now I see’”? Through the Gospel of our teacher John the evangelist, the ninth Chapter as a whole tells us of the miracle of the man born blind. It narrates the miracle in detail. On the other hand, this Sunday is the day of baptism for those who had already lived through the period of the fast as Catechumens; that is why this Sunday is called: “Sunday of the Nazarenes”. For, on this Sunday, the baptism of the Catechumens takes place. Then they go in procession around the church, holding candles, as a sign of receiving enlightenment. The day’s question is very significant to every human; the narrative is told in detail through the Bible, to show the attitudes of people’s toward one event. You have to take care that the stories of the last three weeks (the Samaritan Woman – the Impotent – the Man Born Blind), take place by the waters. The Samaritan woman was related to Jacob’s well, representing the rejected; the impotent was at Bethesda, symbolizing those bound in diseases for long years; and the man born blind got washed in the pool of Siloam, symbolizing those distant. Those all are to indicate birth of water and the Spirit. For as the Lord Christ met the Samaritan woman, He renewed her life. At the beginning of the meeting she had been a sinner; but by the end of the Chapter, (John 4), she turned to be a saint and preacher! For it is Christ who renews the life of Man. As for the paralyzed –or, the bound-, for him came the Lord Christ to set free: because sin is like chains in which Man is bound. Thus came Christ to set him free when all had left him. Then comes today’s miracle: the story of the man born blind, for whom came the Lord Christ giving the light. We have to know that this light is not that physical, seen by the eyes; neither that of the sun nor any artificial lights, nor that of stars, nor even that of the candles or lamps. No; But it is the light of Christ who has come for Man to give to his heart. There are human beings having blindness in the hearts or souls! This kind of people are always found in life; but how about them from inside? But the man born blind is a person who was born with physical blindness. So, about him the people asked Christ: is this blindness an outcome of a sin committed by this person himself, or by his parents? Then Christ answers them: “’Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.’” (John 9:3). Thus He wanted to show us how harmful to Man sin is. When Christ began to speak to him, He said, “’I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’” (John 9:4 – 5): here, Christ wanted to clarify that He is a light to this man, as He is the light of the world. Consequently, a question is to be set for each one of us to answer: when shall you say that you experienced what happened to the man born blind? When shall you say, ‘Though I was blind, now I see?’ As the man born blind had come out of his mother’s womb, he had no optical system. Consequently as the Lord Christ wanted to do him the miracle, He spat on the ground and used the clay; the material of creation. So the Lord Christ made the two pieces of clay, and said to the blind man, “’Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.’” (John 9:7). Siloam is a pool situated out of the town; but the man had no sooner reached the pool and washed, than he became seeing! He had gone blind to the pool, but came back sighted. He had washed, and turned enlightened! Imagine how this man felt when he received his sight for the first time in his life! Then, the man began to enter into many arguments with the people: –
1 With neighbors: they said to him, “’How were your eyes opened?’” “’A man called Jesus [is that who made this]’”; said he, and began to tell them the story.
2 With the Pharisees; those narrow-minded: who said to him, ’He who made this thing is a sinner.’ He said to them: ‘Why?’ ‘Because He made the miracle on the Sabbath.’ They answered! I ask you to feel the degree of hardness that those men’s hearts reached, compared to the mercy that God gives! For God wants to do him the miracle in order that he may lead a happy life; whereas they do never accept such a thing.
3 The Pharisees’ argument with his parents: the Pharisees had asked the parents if their son had indeed been born blind; and they replied affirmatively: which means that there is no place for suspicion. Then they asked them: ’how did he see?’ Since then the parents feared lest they should be dismissed from the synagogue if they answered them. For there was a synagogue for worship in each of the cities and towns of Judea. But they could not offer sacrifices except in the temple of Jerusalem.
4 The Pharisees’ argument with the man born blind: the Pharisees decided for Christ that He is a sinner! Then came the beautiful answer of his: “’Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.’” (John 9:25). Moreover, he said to them a word that agitated their anger: “’I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?’” (John 9:27). So he uncovered them; and uncovered their narrow-mindedness!
+Types of spiritual blindness: –
1 One who is blind to the poor: the story of the rich man and Lazarus tells that the former did not care about the latter! That poor and needy who was sitting at the gate of his house, thus neglecting the words of the Scripture: “Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.” (Ps.41:1); thus despite being sighted, his eyes do not see the poor. That is the hard, harsh-hearted human being.
2 One who is blind to people: who we call as selfish; because such a person does not see but himself only. Even at his own house he does not see but himself. He does not seek but his own rest.
Nowadays, the world includes communities containing people of all types, kinds, and classes: the sick, the needy, the healthy, the poor, the rich… also there is that who lives for his own self. A selfish person always sees that he is always right, being wise in the eyes of his soul: exactly like the Pharisees; those who are blind to the people: just as they were blind to the man who became seeing, this who had just seen the light for the first time.
3 Blind to death as a truth: the fact of death is the last and true one of our life: so says the Greek philosophy: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” The fool, rich man was given so many goods by God; yet he did never think about giving anything to people, nor of doing any good deed; rather, he said: “’I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.’’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’” (Luke 12:18 – 20).
4 Blind to the truth: this one never speaks of the truth, nor bears it witness; a liar; whose words are not pure; not upright. The Book of Isaiah says, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isa.5:20). In these words the Pharisees are depicted: for they saw the miracle as an evil deed; for nothing, but that it was done on the Sabbath day!
5 Blind to duties: such a type of people is broadly widespread. That is not to mean complimenting one another, but the human responsibilities that should be undertaken. Anyone neglecting his family, home country, or work, is blind to duties. For thus he does not care for his works, nor esteem his responsibility. Such blindness causes the stream of life to slow down.
6 Blind to apology: it is that person who sees himself as always right; not to make any mistake at all! Unable to utter a word like “Sorry”! There are those who have the courage of asking pardon. In monasteries, for instance, as monks meet together for praying praises, or for sunset prayer (Vespers), they have to shake hands with one another, saying each of them to the other, ‘I have sinned; forgive me!’ So they have the courage of asking pardon. Whereas there is that who cannot see his own faults, consequently refusing to make an apology.
7 Blind to eternity: his hopes, thoughts, and goals, are all for dust! But has he ever thought of heaven, and of the place God prepared for him? All those above-mentioned are, but some types reflecting persons who are superficially sighted, but internally blind! Now the Scripture says: “So they again called the man who was blind… ‘What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?’” (John 9:24, 26). I ask you to imagine the situation: a person who was formerly blind, and received his sight as a result of a miracle made for him: a matter not to have needed any investigation at all; but for the blindness of the Pharisees, they so made. The Pharisees, in today’s language, are some of those who gained the doctorate degree; those profound in religious knowledge, but unable to hear any other voice than that of theirs; even shut their understanding. They do not want to see; for, eyes they have, but do not see! They have ears, but do not hear! Such is a great sin indeed! The Pharisees had supposed, rather believed that they had known all things! About them the Scripture says, “And they cast him out.” (John 9:34). This was done, but so told, being attributed to the prudent language of the Scripture’s! But in fact, they must have fired him rather shamefully. “Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of God?’” (John 9:35); “Then he said, ’Lord, I believe!’ And he worshiped Him.” (John 9:38). If you want to see Christ, behold: He is in the poor, the needy, and those who are in tribulation and pain. Then He is in the righteous, and the saints; those who give glory to His name. He is in all those who serve His Holy name. So you should put all those who serve Christ before you as examples to follow. Now let us repeat this day’s question for you: – when shall you say, “’Though I was blind, now I see’”? May our Christ give us this enlightenment for our lives; May He give light to our hearts; that our lives would be formed in a new image as to glorify the name of God forever; for Man to live, experiencing this glory for lifelong.