Reflection for Sunday March 19, Fourth Sunday of Lent: John 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38

Gospel: John 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38

As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth. He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes, and said to him, "Go wash in the Pool of Siloam" — which means Sent —. So he went and washed, and came back able to see.

His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said, "Isn't this the one who used to sit and beg?" Some said, "It is, " but others said, "No, he just looks like him." He said, "I am."

They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees. Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath. So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see." So some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, because he does not keep the sabbath." But others said, "How can a sinful man do such signs?" And there was a division among them.

So they said to the blind man again, "What do you have to say about him, since he opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."  They answered and said to him, "You were born totally in sin, and are you trying to teach us?" Then they threw him out.

When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found him and said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" He answered and said, "Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?" Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he." He said, "I do believe, Lord," and he worshiped him.

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Reflection:

Imagine yourself being blind, you see nothing except darkness, then suddenly you are able to see! How would you feel about it? Of course you would feel indescribable joy because you’re now able to appreciate the beauty of your surroundings.

This was how the blind man must have felt when his blindness was cured by Jesus. He felt an overwhelming joy that he never felt before in his entire life. Aside from the physical blindness the man was also healed from his spiritual blindness. 

But why did Jesus heal the blind man in the first place? This is for the reason that Jesus found faith and humility in this blind man. Jesus would have not healed him if he did not have faith and humility.

 Jesus saw something from the blind man that is not visible through the naked eye. Jesus saw that in the heart of this blind man lies the two golden virtues which are faith and humility. This is what is oftentimes lacking within us that is why we don’t receive what we pray for.

Does this mean that this blind man had been praying for healing long before Jesus saw him? Yes! He had been praying so that he would be cured of his blindness, praying with faith and praying with humility. 

Do you have faith in the Lord Jesus? Faith that is very much willing to abandon yourself upon the mercy and goodness of the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you have humility? Humility to follow without question what the Lord tells you? 

Let us pray for healing regarding our lack of faith and let us pray for healing regarding our lack of humility. – Marino J. Dasmarinas