Jesus - The Light of the World

Fourth Sunday of Lent - A

1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a; Ephesian 5:8-14; John 9:1-41

In the first reading, prophet Samuel seems to be "blind." Fascinated by the appearance of Jesse's eldest son, he was convinced that it was Eliab who was "the Lord's anointed" (1 Sam. 16:6). Samuel had to learn to see the way God sees, not by the outward appearance but by looking into the heart (1 Sam. 16:7). But Samuel was not alone. David's father and older brothers were also "blind". The Lord's anointed was the one who was not invited to the feast (1 Sam. 16:11).

Jesus is the "light of the world" (John 8:12), who came into the world to enlighten everyone (John 1: 9). First, He enlightens His disciples. "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" (John 9:2). That question was rooted in the teaching of Moses. One of the punishments for breaking the covenant was blindness (Deut. 28:28), and God would visit "the iniquity of the fathers on the children" (Ex. 20:5), which was expressed in a proverb: "the fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge" (Ezek. 18:2).

"Neither did this man sin, nor his parents" (John 9:3). It was already Ezekiel who indicated a change in the way of thinking regarding retribution. The son would not be held responsible for his father's sins (Ezek. 18:4,19), and he who gave up his sinful life "shall surely live; he shall not die" (Ezekiel 18:21). Jesus, however, goes much further. The situation of a blind man was an opportunity to manifest "the works of God" (John 9:3). And what is the "work of God"? To believe that Jesus is sent by the Father (John 6:29). And so, the blind man regains his sight after washing himself in the pool of Siloam, "which means Sent" (John 9:7). Jesus did not only restore his sight, but He also brought him to the light of faith (John 9:38).

Mark's Gospel contains two stories of healings of blind men (Mark 8:22-26; 10:46-52). The healing of the blind of Bethsaida is gradual (Mark 8:24-25). Similarly, the blind man in John's Gospel gradually came to the fullness of faith. First, he calls Christ "the man called Jesus" (John 9:11), then "a prophet" (John 9:17), and finally believes in Jesus and worships Him (John 9:35-38). Bartimaeus from Jericho after his healing followed Jesus along the way that leads through the cross to the resurrection (Mark 10:52). Similarly, the blind man from the Gospel of John paid for his testimony that Jesus was not a sinner (John 9:24) but came "from God" (John 9:33). He was called "born in utter sin" and cast out (John 9:34).

Jesus is the "light of the world" (John 8:12) but there are those who prefer to remain in the darkness (John 3:19), like the Pharisees. Three times they asked how the blind man could see (John 9:15,19,26) and they could not hear a clear answer (John 9:27); twice they saw the blind man looking at them with his eyes opened and they could not see the sign (John 9:16). The blind man confessed, "though I was blind, now I see" (John 9:25), but the Pharisees said "we see" and so their guilt remained (John 9:41).

"At one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord" (Eph 5:8). In the ancient church, during Lent, those who were directly preparing themselves for the sacrament of baptism were called 'those who are coming into the light'. One of the preparatory rites was the profession of faith facing the East, which symbolized turning to Christ. Their transition from being "darkness" to being "light in the Lord" took place on the Easter Vigil.

"For the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true" (Eph. 5: 9). Being "children of light" obliges. Let us look at human hearts, lead people to Christ, and boldly proclaim that it was Christ who has made us a new creation (John 9:8-9; 2 Cor. 5:17).