John 9:1-41

1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a

Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

Ephesians 5:8-14

John 9:1-41

As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth.
His disciples asked him,
“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, 
that he was born blind?”
Jesus answered,
“Neither he nor his parents sinned; 
it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.
We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day.
Night is coming when no one can work.
While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
When he had said this, 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.”
So they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”
He replied,
“The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes
and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’
So I went there and washed and was able to see.”
And they said to him, “Where is he?”
He said, “I don’t know.”

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.”

Now the Jews did not believe 
that he had been blind and gained his sight 
until they summoned the parents of the one who had gained his sight.
They asked them,
“Is this your son, who you say was born blind?
How does he now see?”
His parents answered and said, 
“We know that this is our son and that he was born blind.
We do not know how he sees now,
nor do we know who opened his eyes.
Ask him, he is of age;
he can speak for himself.”
His parents said this because they were afraid
of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed 
that if anyone acknowledged him as the Christ,
he would be expelled from the synagogue.
For this reason his parents said,
“He is of age; question him.”

So a second time they called the man who had been blind 
and said to him, “Give God the praise!
We know that this man is a sinner.”
He replied,
“If he is a sinner, I do not know.
One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see.”
So they said to him,
“What did he do to you?
How did he open your eyes?”
He answered them,
“I told you already and you did not listen.
Why do you want to hear it again?
Do you want to become his disciples, too?”
They ridiculed him and said, 
“You are that man’s disciple;
we are disciples of Moses!
We know that God spoke to Moses, 
but we do not know where this one is from.”
The man answered and said to them,
“This is what is so amazing, 
that you do not know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes.
We know that God does not listen to sinners, 
but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him.
It is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind.
If this man were not from God,
he would not be able to do anything.”
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,
the one speaking with you is he.”
He said,
“I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him.
Then Jesus said,
“I came into this world for judgment, 
so that those who do not see might see, 
and those who do see might become blind.”

Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this 
and said to him, “Surely we are not also blind, are we?”
Jesus said to them,
“If you were blind, you would have no sin; 
but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains.

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I humbly ask for the light of faith. I want to see all things as you do, in the light of eternity. I pray that this will help me overcome the temptation to complain about trivial things of little import.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Light of Faith: The Gospel was chosen for this Sunday with our Catechumens in mind. They are preparing to receive the Sacrament of Baptism at the Easter Vigil. The Sunday readings, then, are part of their “mystagogy” or introduction into the mysteries of the sacraments. Last week, we read about the Samaritan Woman at the well and reflected on the saving waters of baptism. This week, we continue that mediation. The man born blind, at the command of Jesus, washed himself in the pool of Siloam in Jerusalem, and he was healed. He went from living in darkness and being blind to seeing everything in the light of faith in Christ. The Pharisees, by contrast, refused to acknowledge Jesus as the Son of Man sent by the Ancient of Days. By not embracing Jesus with the light of faith, they remained in the darkness of sin. Jesus invites the Pharisees to become humble – to be blind – so as to see and be forgiven. By saying “we see,” the Pharisees chose the way of pride, and their sin remained.

2. Covenant Promises and Their Fulfillment: In the First Reading, we continue to review some of the most important Old Testament moments in salvation history. On the first three Sundays of Lent, we read about the fall of Adam and Eve, the promises made to Abram, and the story of the Exodus under Moses. Today, we read about the anointing of David as King of Israel. Each of these moments is connected with covenant promises. The covenant of creation with Adam and Eve promised a share in eternal life. The covenant with Abraham promised a universal blessing for humanity through one of Abraham’s descendants. The covenant with Moses promised divine sonship to the nation of Israel. The covenant with David promised an everlasting kingdom. All of these promises find their fulfillment in the New Covenant. Through Jesus, the son of Abraham and David, we receive eternal life, divine sonship, membership in God’s Kingdom, and the blessing of the forgiveness of sins and life in the Spirit.

3. From Darkness into the Light of Christ: In the Second Reading, Paul writes to the Ephesians to explain that they have passed from darkness into the light of Christ. Before Christ, they were living as sons and daughters of darkness. Now, having been baptized in Christ, they are living as children of light. Darkness is associated with sin and death. Light, by contrast, produces “every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth” (Ephesians 5:9). The last line, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light,” is likely taken from an ancient baptismal hymn. The summons to arise from the dead is a call to break away from the sinful world and live as children of light.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, grant me a more intense share in your divine wisdom and divine charity. Allow me to see with new eyes. I want to find your holy face in the poor and suffering. I need the light of faith to do this.

Living the Word of God: Spend some time in prayerful thanksgiving for the grace of baptism. By our baptism, we have become children of God, brothers and sisters of Christ, and Temples of the Holy Spirit. The waters of Baptism have washed away the stain of original sin, made us participants of the divine nature, and have empowered us with the virtues of faith, hope, and charity to do good works for the Kingdom of God.