Gospel for 27 March, 2007

However, the Jews would not believe that the man had been blind without first sending for the parents of the man who had gained his sight and asking them, ‘Is this man really the son of yours who you say was born blind? If so, how is it that he is now able to see?' His parents answered, ‘We know he is our son and we know he was born blind, but how he can see, we don't know, nor who opened his eyes. Ask him. He is old enough: let him speak for himself.' His parents spoke like this out of fear of the Jews, who had already agreed to ban from the synagogue anyone who should acknowledge Jesus as the Christ. This was why his parents said, ‘He is old enough; ask him.' So the Jews sent for the man again and said to him, ‘Give glory to God! We are satisfied that this man is a sinner.' The man answered, ‘Whether he is a sinner I don't know; all I know is that I was blind and now I can see.' They said to him, ‘What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?' He replied, ‘I have told you once and you wouldn't listen. Why do you want to hear it all again? Do you want to become his disciples yourselves?' At this they hurled abuse at him, ‘It is you who are his disciple, we are disciples of Moses: we know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this man, we don't know where he comes from.' The man replied, ‘That is just what is so amazing! You don't know where he comes from and he has opened my eyes! We know that God doesn't listen to sinners, but God does listen to people who are devout and do his will. Ever since the world began it is unheard of for anyone to open the eyes of someone born blind; if this man were not from God, he wouldn't have been able to do anything.' They retorted, ‘Are you trying to teach us, and you a sinner through and through ever since you were born!' And they ejected him. Jesus heard they had ejected him, and when he found him he said to him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of man?' ‘Sir,' the man replied, ‘tell me who he is so that I may believe in him.' Jesus said, ‘You have seen him; he is speaking to you.' The man said, ‘Lord, I believe,' and worshipped him. Jesus said: It is for judgement that I have come into this world, so that those without sight may see and those with sight may become blind. Hearing this, some Pharisees who were present said to him, ‘So we are blind, are we?' Jesus replied: If you were blind, you would not be guilty, but since you say, ‘We can see,' your guilt remains. (John 9:18-41 NJB)

One of the main themes in St John's Gospel is the continual war between darkness and light. Those who are pure in heart and seek after God live in the light and those whose motives are filled with self-interest and lack honesty are denizens of the darkness. The Jews who are questioning the man born blind and his family have their minds made up and refuse to be confused by any facts that do not match their preconceived ideas of how the world should be. In their duplicity they prove that they do not belong to the light but are truly those who have been blinded by selfishness, greed and envy. They can have no part in God's Kingdom because God's Kingdom is made manifest in self-sacrificial love and an embrace of truth.