4th Sunday Lent A/Healing of Man Born Blind
 

1 Sam 16:6-13/ Ps 23/ Eph 5:8-14/ John 9:1-41
  Introduction
 

         Once an Arabian teacher asked his students: How do you know that there is enough light? And it was answered, “In the middle of a desert and you see a camel walking towards you then there is enough light.” For the second time he asked: How do you know that there is enough light? “When you see a camel walking towards you and you can see a man on it, then there is enough light.” Finally he asked again: How do you know that there is enough light? “When you see the camel walking towards you and the man on it and then you see in the eyes of that man “an image of a brother” then there is enough light.”

In our Gospel today, the blind man did not ask for cure. But when Jesus passed by he saw in the eyes of this man, “an image of a brother” who was in need of help. He was deeply touched by his condition. It did not concern Jesus that the man did not know Him. It was Christ’s own initiative to put “spittle” on his eyes and to restore his sight.

 
  Background
 
  1. The use of “spittle” was very common in the ancient world. To this day, if we burn a finger, our first instinct is to put it into our mouth. Jesus was a wise physician; to gain the confidence of his patient by using the methods and customs of his time. It was not that he believed in these things, but he kindled expectation by doing what the patient would expect a doctor do. After all, to this day the efficacy of any medicine or treatment depends at least on the patient’s faith to the doctor and to the drug itself.
  2. After anointing this man’s eyes with spittle, Jesus sent him to the Pool of Siloam. That pool was one of the landmarks in Jerusalem; and it was the result of one of the engineering feats of the ancient world. It was an open air basin twenty by thirty feet. The water supply of Jerusalem came mainly from the Virgin’s Fountain, which was a staircase of thirty- three rock cut steps led down to it and from there the people drew water. The Pool of Siloam was the place where the conduit from the Virgin Fountain flows to the city. That is how the pool got its name. It was called Siloam, which, it was said meant “sent” because the water in it had been “sent” through the conduit into the city. This use of flowing water in this text is foreshadowing of the Sacrament of Baptism that can cure the blindness of our souls due to sin.
  3. The blind man’s parents were uncooperative and afraid. They knew that the synagogue authorities had a powerful weapon - the weapon of Excommunication. There are two kinds of Excommunications. There was the “cherem” by which a man will banish from the synagogue for life and he will be publicly anathematized. There was also the temporary excommunication which might last for a month or more. After excommunications a person was treated as a curse in the presence of the people. For any Jew the worst thing that could happen to his life is to be cut off from the Synagogue, which also means closing his life from God and from man. His parents were so prudent with their answers by saying, “he is on the right age, talk to him yourself”
  
  Reflections:  
 

  1. In describing Jesus’ making mud and smearing it on the man’s eyes, John is trying to connect what Jesus did with the act of God creating Adam out of the dust (Genesis). After healing this blind man became a new creation. If we take the waters of Siloam as a symbol for baptism, then we can see that the Sacrament of Baptism as a means of making us new creation in Christ. We became new persons with new eyes to see new realities. Every Christian has “eyes in his heart” that sees his poor neighbors as his brothers in need. He has eyes that sees beyond what is physical (First reading) but like God he can penetrate and understand the heart of a person who is in pain and suffering. In the Sacraments, grace is already given, and the gift is already in us, our challenge is how to us it in order to live according to our name.

  2. Remember how the blind man showed the growth of his faith: first he called Jesus “the man” and then he called him “the Prophet” and finally when Jesus introduced himself as the Son of God, he called him “Lord.” There was a gradual experience of Jesus’ revelation of truth in his life. Unlike the faith of the Pharisees which was stagnant, (they keep on asking the same question) Christian faith must be progressive and dynamic. There should be a series of growth in our faith after baptism. As we grow physically there should be a growth in our spirituality too. After Baptism we must grow with to other sacraments, penance, communion and confirmations etc. As we grow physically we must grow spiritually and our eyes must be opened slowly until we see the truth about Christ to the full. True piety is more than just knowing Christ from the books. Christianity is more on a personal encounter our Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
  3. A Christian has eyes opened by Christ that can see beyond physical realities. A pregnant woman can see that the baby inside her womb is a complete human being. A woman with clear eyes sees the cruelty of abortion. She should be able to see her baby’s desire to be born, its hopes to see the light and enjoy the world just like anybody. She should be able to see beyond her own fears and doubts - the potentials and dreams of her baby to grow and soon be able to love her mother and be loved by her.
  
  Conclusion  
            If you are asked, how do you know if there is “enough light”? If we can see after the mass; in the eyes of the poor … an image of a true brother … then we know there is enough light.