Fourth Sunday of Lent, Scrutiny Year A Readings
Last Sunday, when reflecting on the gospel reading, I had said that the story of the Samaritan woman was a Divine drama played out on the human stage. I had also said that the central plot of this drama is, “God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8). The primary motif used was living water – “a spring of living water welling up to eternal life,” which really is love of God poured out into our hearts.
Today, we have another story - the story of the man born blind. Again, I would like to treat this story as a divine drama played out on the human stage. The overarching theme within which John composes this story is light and darkness. At the very beginning of the story Jesus says, “I am the light of the world” (Jn 9:5).
Light and Darkness
The play of the themes of light and darkness is an ancient biblical theme. We find it in the very first verses of the Bible that “the earth was without form or shape, with darkness over the abyss and a mighty wind sweeping over the waters. Then God said: Let there be light, and there was light. God saw that the light was good. God then separated the light from the darkness” (Gen 1:2-4). John begins his gospel with the same words as the book of Genesis. – “In the beginning… was the Word” (Jn 1:1). John picks up the theme of light and darkness from Genesis. He says, “What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (Jn 1:4-5).
Let me end this point with the words from today’s second reading from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. He says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” The story of the man born blind will tell us exactly what it means to allow Christ to be our light. We are to hear that story and come to Christ anew, who is our light.
“I am the light of the world”
The blind man’s healing began with Jesus noticing him. In fact, Jesus is the one who takes the initiative for his healing. When the disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (Jn 9:2), he says, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him” (Jn 9:3). That the works of God might be made visible through Jesus – this is the real plot of the drama. John now makes his real point. Jesus is the one who will lead the world from darkness into light. John’s Jesus says: “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.” (Jn 9:4-5).
The rest of the story of the healing is a continuation of the themes of light and darkness. The man who was blind can now see. But, even after his healing, the healed man does not know who Jesus is. In other words, even though the healed man has regained his sight, he does not recognize the “Light of the world”. But when his questioners grill him with questions, he makes an initial confession. “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” (Jn 9:32-33). He has begun to see but has not yet come fully into the light.
When Jesus heard that they had thrown the healed man out of the community, Jesus sought him out. Jesus asked him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered and said, “Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus replied, “You have seen him and the one speaking with you is he.” He said, “I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him. The blind man had regained his sight, but really, it is now that he has left the darkness behind and embraced the light. It is now that he truly sees. Meanwhile, Jesus’ opponents are embracing darkness.
Children of the Light
There is an irony in the drama. There were those who had their sight all along, but they are blind. They even Jesus asked, “Surely we are not also blind, are we?” (Jn 9:40).
This is the question that John wants every reader to ask themselves. I had said last week that we are not mere spectators in John’s divine drama. What might be our role? Paul answers this question for us in today’s second reading. He says, “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth. Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them” (Eph 5:8-11).
Folks, we can be like those who have sight bit live in darkness or we can be like the blind man who chose to live in the light. To be people of the light, we are invited to live as children of the light. We are invited to produce every kind of goodness, every kind of righteousness. We are invited to do that which is pleasing to the Lord. We are invited not to take part in the works of darkness but rather we bear witness that Christ is indeed the light of the world.
- Fr. Satish Joseph