Lent 4th Sunday
1 Sam 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a; Eph 5:8-14; Jn 9:1-41
Spiritual Blindness!
When we accidentally bump into something or someone, we might be asked, “Are you blind?” or “Can’t you see?” We often get angry at such remarks because we believe we can see very well. Yet, there are times when we must admit that we are blind — that we don’t see further than our own noses. The liturgical readings remind us that it is God who gives us proper vision in both body and soul, and they instruct us to constantly be on guard against spiritual blindness.
The Gospel gives an account of the man born blind and how Jesus cures him on the Sabbath. His vision broadens, while the Pharisees — who believe they possess spiritual insight — see Jesus less and less. We encounter three groups of people showing different degrees of blindness: the disciples, the blind man’s parents, and the Pharisees.
Who Is to Blame? The disciples of Jesus see the blind man as a subject of intellectual debate. They ask Jesus, “Whose sin caused him to be born blind?” This may sound like a scientific or philosophical question, but it does nothing to help the blind man. The same approach to such problems is common in our present-day world. People may sound intelligent, but the truth is that a mere question will not help those who suffer. This is the approach the disciples take — they try to assign blame rather than seek a solution.
Acting as Blind: After he is cured, the parents of the man act as though they too are blind. Sometimes, we also prefer to act as if we are blind. These parents know their son was born without sight but can now see. However, when confronted by this fact, they choose to remain noncommittal to avoid offending anyone. They are blinded by fear — the fear of being expelled by the religious authorities.
When there is a problem or risk, some try to avoid it, thinking, “Why take a risk by telling the truth?” The blind man’s parents represent people of this kind who are still found in society today. They take the easy way out. This kind of noncommittal, non-offensive mentality does not lead to the betterment of society.
Refusing to See the Truth: The Pharisees refuse to see the truth: “Neither will we do good nor allow any good to occur.” They have done nothing good for the blind man, and when he receives his sight, they oppose it simply because he was cured on the Sabbath. In present-day society, there are also people like this. They neither want to do good nor rejoice when others do good.
When Mother Teresa was nursing lepers and caring for abandoned people in a deserted Hindu temple in Calcutta, some Hindu fanatics complained to the governor that her charitable work was actually an attempt to convert people to Christianity. They wanted her to leave. The governor personally visited the site to see what she was doing. When he witnessed her cleansing the wounds of lepers and nursing them with love, he told those who complained, “If you can do the works that she does, then I will ask her to vacate this place.” This story illustrates how bluntly refusing to accept the truth is truly pharisaic.
The Paradox of Blindness: The more the Pharisees try to distort the truth, the more the man cured of blindness becomes steadfast in his testimony about Jesus and in confronting them with the truth. Not only is his physical sight restored, but he also progressively grows in faith. The blind man’s progress in spiritual sight parallels the Pharisees’ descent into spiritual blindness.
Thus, the blind man receives the light of faith in Jesus, while the religiously educated Pharisees remain spiritually blind. It is evident that those who are prejudiced and self-centered are blind both to themselves and to God. We must ask ourselves which is worse: being blind or pretending to see when, in fact, we are blind. Just as the Samaritan woman became an evangelizer after her conversation with Jesus, the man who received his sight also becomes an evangelizer by following Him.
Reaching Out: Unlike the others, Jesus reaches out to the man born blind with a life-giving touch. He “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy as He heals the sick and gives sight to the blind. The first reading also reminds us that God looks beyond appearances. While others saw only the outward qualities of Jesse’s sons, God chose David for his heart. This shows how easily we can misjudge others — and how much we need God’s help to see rightly.
Some Blind Spots: The most serious illness among us is spiritual blindness. We fall into it through pride, prejudice, or by refusing to face our own sins and weaknesses. Sometimes we point out others’ faults while ignoring our own — perhaps never committing murder, yet wounding others with harsh words or unkind judgments. We all have blind spots — in our families, our work, and even in our faith. Some who appear devout in prayer or Scripture still overlook the poverty, injustice, and suffering around them.
Lent is a time to ask God to heal our blindness, renew our vision, and help us fix our eyes on Jesus — so we may know when to stand for the truth. For unless we stand for something, we may fall for anything.
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