Fourth Sunday of Lent - Year A Scrutinies
The scripture readings on the third, fourth and fifth Sunday of Lent (especially if we are following the Year A readings) are intentionally chosen to lead those preparing for baptism (at Easter) to come the fullness of faith. The gospel readings on these three Sundays are from John. John’s entire gospel revolves around the theme “coming to believe in Jesus.” Thus, last Sunday we heard about the Samaritan woman who by the end of the story came to believe in Jesus as the Messiah. Next Sunday we will hear about Martha and Mary who even before the raising of Lazarus will confess Jesus as the Resurrection and Life. Similarly toward the end of today’s gospel reading when Jesus says to the blind man that he is indeed the Son of Man, the blind man confesses, “I do believe Lord.” And then he worshipped Jesus. Like in the other stories, there is a huge difference in the faith of the blind man from the beginning of the story and the end of the story. At the beginning of the story he was blind but now he sees. At the beginning of the story he did not know Jesus but by the end he worships him. At the beginning of story he was just another sinner considered blind for either his or his ancestor’s sin. By the end of the story he is liberated and saved by his faith. This is true of the Samaritan woman, and Mary and Martha. In fact, this is true of the entire gospel of John.
I would like to offer three things to reflect on this week based on the story of the blind man.
- The God Who Makes the Move. Twice in today’s gospel Jesus meets the blind man face to face. Did you notice that both these encounters happen because Jesus went after the blind man? This healing is one instance where the blind man was neither brought to Jesus nor did he ask to be healed. John tells us that Jesus was passing by when he saw the blind man. It was Jesus initiative to put clay on his eyes and heal him. The second encounter happened after the blind man was thrown out of the synagogue. It was Jesus who sought the healed man and asked him if he believed in the Son of Man. I understand two things from this – that God is constantly in search of us. When the man and woman hid themselves in the garden, when the Israelites were in slavery in Egypt, when the world needed a Savior, God came to us. Sometimes we want to hide from God for lack of courage or because of our guilt, or simply the lack of faith. But even when we cannot believe or lack courage or faith, God searches for us, finds us, and offers us salvation. Salvation history is a witness to this. Please know this, that there is not person in the entire history of the world who is beyond the saving love of God. And that includes you and me.
- The God with Dirty Hands. The fact that Jesus has to make clay with his saliva and then apply it to the blind man’s eyes is very telling. It tells me that Jesus is not afraid to get his hands dirty. Moreover, it was not merely physically that Jesus was getting his hands dirty. Jesus had healed this blind man on a Sabbath and mixing saliva with mud was interpreted by the Pharisees as labor forbidden by the Law. Jesus was getting his hand dirty legally and morally as well. This was not the first instance where he gets his hands dirty. He got his hands dirty by touching the leper, by writing on the ground to free the adulterous woman from being stoned, by allowing the demoniac woman to wash his feet, but eating and drinking with tax-collectors and sinners. Jesus’ actions remind me of these words of Pope Francis: “I prefer a church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security. I do not want a church concerned with being at the center and then ends up by being caught up in a web of obsessions and procedures.” And again he says, “More than by fear of going astray, my hope is that we will be moved by the fear of remaining shut up within structures which give us a false sense of security, within rules which make us harsh judges, within habits which make us feel safe, while at our door people are starving and Jesus does not tire of saying to us, 'Give them something to eat.'" A lot of people are very uncomfortable with the kind of church that Pope Francis is advocating. But then, we realize that this is not new. People were also uncomfortable with Jesus and the kind of religion that he was proposing. I certainly am for the church, that like Jesus, is willing to get its hands dirty.
- What does God look like? How is it that the enlightened Pharisees could not get themselves to believe in Jesus but a previously blind beggar did? They had both witnessed the same event – the healing of blindness. By the end of the story the healed man worships Jesus but the Pharisees, as Jesus says in the end to them, remain in their sin. What did God look like to these two sets of people? What does God look like to us? Sometimes, it is just humble bread and simple wine? Today, let us not complicate God and God saving work. Let us allow God to be God in the way God chooses to be. God is simple, God is humble, God comes after us, God gets his hands dirty, God dies for our sins, God rises from the dead and God continues to dwell with us.
Today, Jesus asks us the same question that he asked the blind man – “Do you believe….” At this Eucharist you and I are invited to give an answer.
-Fr. Satish Joseph