| During
these unprecedented times when many are unable to gather to celebrate
Mass, I am especially pleased to be able to share with you this week's
homily reflections. |
| Remember you can pray along with me using the audio prayers I've recorded. |
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Fourth Sunday in Lent
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The Man Born Blind
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| 3-22-20 |
| Last
week’s gospel about the woman at the well has a lot in common with
today’s gospel on the man born blind. First, in both cases Jesus takes
the initiative….He reaches out first. Second, in both instances Jesus
breaks the law. Last week it was not normal for a Jew to stop at a
Samaritan town. |
| It
was against the law for Him to be alone with this woman. Especially, a
woman of her reputation. And Jesus and Samaritans never would share a
cup. She even says, you, a Jew ask me for a drink, you do not even have a
cup. In the case of the blind man, Jesus is breaking the most sacred
rule of the Jews. He heals on the Sabbath. Blindness is difficult to
cure, but, it is also difficult to diagnose. |
| One
man brushes his young daughter away when she wants to show him her
school work. Can’t you see I am trying to watch the game. Another father
is so overwhelmed by his love for his daughter, he writes the song
“Isn’t she lovely” in her honor. His name is Stevie Wonder, the blind
singer. Which man truly sees his daughter, which man is blind. A man
ignores his wife, she wants to know if he still think she is attractive. |
| She
wants to talk to him, wants him to listen to her, his response is…have
you washed my golf shirt yet? Another husband is so overwhelmed by his
love for his wife that he writes her a love song. You are so beautiful
to me, you are everything I hoped for. You are everything I need…you are
so beautiful to me. That song was written by another blind artist, Ray
Charles. |
| Which
man truly sees his wife….which man is blind. A woman sits in church
during Mass. The Word of God is spoken, the bread of life is broken. She
is thinking, I wonder what I should fix for lunch. Just look at that
woman’s coat. I bet it is not real fur. Another woman sat in church, she
was blind from birth. Her name is Fanny Crosby, she later wrote these
words about the mass. |
| Perfect
submission, perfect delight visions of rapture now burst on my sight.
Which woman truly experienced worship? Our gospel text features this
very same irony concerning blindness in its various forms. A man is born
blind, but healed by Jesus. The Pharisees are born sighted but move to
spiritual blindness. |
| And,
so we ask in this gospel who is truly blind. And what kind of blindness
is hardest to heal. You notice how many times in this chapter, that
someone begins a statement with the phrase…we know. But in truth, they
did not know and all through the story w see the Pharisees become
increasing blind. Blind to the Son of God who stood in front of them. |
| This
is the hardest blindness to heal, not the man blind from birth, but the
men blind by choice. Why would anyone choose to be blind by choice?
Perhaps, because you can get used to the darkness, just as you can get
used to the light. Many of us have blind spots, blind to racial
prejudices, blind to what goes on in the company we work for. |
| Blind
to the needs of others especially those closest to us. There was
another time that Jesus cured a blind man. The man knelt before Jesus
and spoke a prayer. That we might want to whisper now and again. He
simply said, “Lord let me see. Let me see the things I need to see, the
people I may have hurt, the wrongs I have done. Let me see your goodness
to me. Let me experience your love for me. At all times in all places,
Lord let me see.” |
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