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John 9:1-11 Today's gospel lesson tells the story of a blind man that Jesus saw as he and his disciples walked down the street. It's a detailed scene, unlike many others in the gospel stories. The scene almost rises up and takes place in front of us. We don't seem to read the story, as much as we see and hear it. What does the scripture teach us this morning? First, it reminds us to:
As the disciples look at the blind man, they ask Jesus who sinned to cause the man to be blind. The question of the disciples is one that all of us ask at some time. Why is there pain and suffering in the world? Why has this illness and pain fallen on me? This is a particularly difficult question for us as Christians. If Jesus is love - if what he says is true, why is there pain at all in the universe of such a God? Why is there suffering under the watchful eye of a loving God? Why am I experiencing loss or agony - or why has someone I love fallen to pain and suffering? One of the boldest of the many answers that have been offered to this problem is the concept of karma. In this teaching, all of our life experiences are consequences of prior actions. Whether it's something that we did, or something our parents did, it will come back in some way to revisit us. Much of the world, including many Christians, believe in this concept of karma. It puts us in prison, dealing with an infinite sequence of events, running on and on like an endless chain. What we are today - our circumstances, the things that happen to us in our life - they don't take place by chance, but they are the fruit of what we were and did in the past. What we have been makes us what we are. So, in this view, all of our problems come from our own mistakes and wrongdoings in the past. We can't complain about this because we've done it to ourselves. If we are poor, or have a disease, or are blind - we should look for the reason in our former conduct. There is something appealing about this understanding of suffering. Sometimes it seems fair, and it certainly leaves little room for whining or self-pity. But, it is an answer that is too easy. This answer forgets that life isn't just about justice - it's also about grace. And Jesus will have none of it. When Jesus answered that the man's blindness wasn't the result of either the man's sins or his parents, he lifted a weight of unhappiness from all of us who suffer in some way. Instead, he says that the man was born blind so that God's power could be demonstrated. Now, that's a bold interpretation! But, how true it is! This truth is proven over and over in our lives. Tragedy, or illness, or grief, or suffering come into our lives in many ways. And these events are not necessarily because of something wrong that we've done in the past. They are not a cosmic retribution for failures long past. But, they often provide an opportunity for God to work in new and powerful ways in our lives. When God created the universe, the entire world could have been put on autopilot. Instead, God chose to give us free will. God chose to create a place where freedom includes happiness and suffering. God doesn't cause suffering and pain to come into our lives. But, when they do, God's power can work new things in our lives and the lives of others. But, Jesus also reminds us to:
In the gospel stories, Jesus heals others who are blind in very different ways. For example, at Bethsaida a blind man is brought to Jesus for healing. In that case, Jesus spoke with the man and restored his sight. The spiritual healing that Jesus brings to our lives varies as well. Sometimes we are impatient with spiritual healing that seems slower than what others have received. But, we can trust God that the best care and treatment is being provided for us. In the case of the man in today's gospel lesson, he had an even harder and more elaborate cure prescribed for him. He had his face daubed with dust and clay and spit. Then he was sent away in a messy state - tapping his way through the streets to the pool of Siloam. He probably felt like a ridiculous fool on his way to the pool. And he probably wondered what good could possibly come out of it. He probably wondered to himself, "Why couldn't I be healed, like the others, with a quick touch of Jesus' hand?" Maybe he felt like Jesus was making fun of his blindness by putting mud and spit on his face. Who could have blamed him if he decided that he wouldn't be fooled and refused to go to the pool of Siloam? But, he didn't react with an angry outburst. Instead, he was obedient. And when his obedience wasn't easy, I suspect that he relied on faith. With great determination he made his way to the pool of Siloam. He carried through with the instruction of Jesus. And even though there wasn't anything to show for it, in the end he came back with his eyesight. In some cases, the process of being healed takes a very long time. For some souls, as for some bodies, a rapid cure isn't helpful. Sometimes, to truly see, we need a more gradual process of healing. A couple of years ago, a film was released called At First Sight. The movie tells the story of a man who regained his eyesight through a surgical procedure. He was able to see for awhile, but gradually he lost his sight again. Toward the end of the film, he talks about the gradual healing process that helped him to truly see. Let's hear what he has to say... [VIDEOTAPE] In the same way, our healing - whether it's spiritual or physical - may be more gradual than we'd sometimes like. But in the end, God has our best interests in mind. God loves us and wants us to be whole. And the healing of the blind man reminds us to:
In last week's scripture reading, we noticed that Jesus was a rule-breaker. He stopped to talk with a woman at the well. That's something that was frowned upon in his time. But Jesus broke the rule because it didn't make sense. Today, we notice that Jesus is up to it again. Here he is, healing a man on the Sabbath day. The Pharisees, the religious leaders, were not very happy about this. According to their rules, it wasn't right to heal on the Sabbath. But, it wasn't just the Pharisees who were agitated by the man's healing. It caused quite a stir among his neighbors as well. They weren't quite sure what to think about his newfound eyesight. Some of the neighbors were talking to each other and said, "Isn't this the same guy who used to sit and beg?" Others said, "He is like him, but it can't be the same man." But the healed man was persistent in his answer. "I am the same man." Have you ever noticed how some people are not quite happy when you have been healed of a long-standing problem? Maybe you've worked very hard to lose the burden of extra weight. You've counted calories and exercised. Week by week you lose a little more until you finally reach your goal. And then someone sees you. "You don't look the same," they say. "Are you feeling well? Are you all right?" They have a great deal of difficulty rejoicing in your new freedom. In my work at Primavera, I see healing taking place around me every day. And it's not always easy for people to accept that healing. Maybe someone got out of prison and turned their life around. Or another person stopped relying on alcohol or drugs to get through life. Yet another found healing in their family relationships and is now a devoted father. The healing is inspirational and hard-fought. Yet, it always surprises me that some people doubt the healing. They prefer to remember the problems of the past. "But," they say, "isn't that the same guy who used to sit on the median with a sign begging for money?" Why is it that we have difficulty accepting the healing touch of God in our lives and the lives of others? Well, it may be because we haven't found the same faith to accept healing in our lives. If we accept the fact that others can find such power - such a completely new life - then it makes it harder for us to accept the diseases of our own lives. It makes it easier for us to remain stuck in our own illness if we dismiss the healing of others. Did you notice how the healed man reacts to all of the interrogation? He lives life in a new way - in a healed way. All through the story, it is this man who catches and holds our attention. And the more we see of him, the better we like him. He is a plain man, but he has sturdy independence. He refuses to be crushed or browbeaten by those who doubt. When our eyes are opened spiritually, there are plenty of those who doubt the reality of our new lives. When we find physical healing through God's touch in our lives, many will dismiss it. But the blind man who found new sight sets a powerful example for us. He was loyal to the God who healed him. Time after time he was questioned. Time after time he was given an opportunity to betray the powerful love of God that healed him. But, what did he do? He lived his new life with clear eyes and refreshing honesty. I'm the same man, he said. And Jesus healed me. No doubt about it.
Our eyes are closed today in so many ways. God is here among us this morning, waiting to begin healing our faulty eyesight. Healing may require us to see for the first time that we are suffering. And to understand that it may not be our fault. That can be a huge step. God is ready to help us take that step. Or, maybe we know that we need to be healed, but we've been impatient about when and how it might happen. Just as the blind man was open to an unusual method of receiving his eyesight, may we be open to God's touch in new ways. And when we find healing, let us be open to new ways of living. Plenty of people will want to doubt us - but God calls us to always remember the hand that brings power and joy into our lives.
Amen. |