I am the light of the world

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?" Some said, "This is he." Others said, "He is like him." He said, "I am he." Therefore they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?" He answered and said, " A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.' So I went and washed, and I received sight." Then they said to him, "Where is He?" He said, "I do not know."

They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see." Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath." Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" And there was a division among them. They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."

- John 9:1-17

We've been reading passages in John's Gospel which take place during the events of the Feast of Tabernacles, at the temple in Jerusalem. These readings began over a week ago, with the one of Friday before last. In the most recent of these readings, Jesus has been in dialogue with the leadership, after they tried to trap Him with the woman caught in adultery. In the most recent reading, on Saturday, Jesus continued this dialogue, emphasizing even more clearly His relationship to the Father. He said, "He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God." Then they answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?" Jesus replied, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death." They replied to Him, "Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the Prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?" Jesus told them, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." They tried to stone Him then, but He eluded them through the crowds, and passed through the temple.

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" My study bible tells us that "of all the miracle stories in the Bible, this is the only one in which the person was blind from birth." The assumption, common in the ancient world, is that affliction is always a consequence of personal sin. Of course, we understand all kinds of afflictions and troubles to be a result of sin in one form or another, but Jesus will open up for us a different perspective, and doesn't share the view that it necessarily must be the result of personal sin.

Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him." What a powerful perspective this is! And how it will have an impact on our understanding of our faith. Affliction, in the work of Christ, may become an occasion for the revelation of God!

"I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Repeatedly, John's Gospel has spoken of Jesus as the light of the world, and that His disciples should reflect that light in their lives. Here, my study bible notes, "Jesus speaks of the urgency of bringing light into the darkened world, for the duration of His time upon the earth is limited."

When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. Siloam, we remember, is the pool from which water was brought as a libation to the temple during the Feast of Tabernacles. My study bible points out that this pool was on the outskirts of Jerusalem, a considerable distance from the temple. So this man, going from the temple to the pool, would make a strange sort of contrast, with the clay upon his eyes, to the formal procession. But in another sense, He is as Israel being led through the darkness, in faith. The Feast's procession commemorates the time the Israelites were given water from the rock. In connection, Jesus has taught that with His water, one will never thirst, and He taught of the living water that He will give, the Spirit. The blind man's seeing return to the temple has been historically viewed in the Church as an allegory to baptism, the need of a darkened world for the light of life in the baptism of water and the Spirit. It is the sense of a new Deliverance for all, especially from the darkness of sin and affliction in the world.

Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?" Some said, "This is he." Others said, "He is like him." He said, "I am he." Therefore they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?" He answered and said, " A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.' So I went and washed, and I received sight." Then they said to him, "Where is He?" He said, "I do not know." Here John's Gospel interestingly draws out the story for us. We see the witnesses to this transformation, and in their curiosity is revealed a little about how others may view those who become changed, transformed in faith. There are some things we know, and some things we don't, but we may grow in that faith and understanding. Blindness, and gradual sight, become an allegory for us all. We may not understand how faith works, nor know how to explain what has happened, before we feel, know and see its effects.

They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see." Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath." Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" And there was a division among them. They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet." Again we read the controversy of healing on the Sabbath. This tremendous miracle, the sixth of seven in John's Gospel, isn't the focus of those who are truly blind. My study bible puts it this way: "That the Lord opened the eyes of the blind man recalls Isaiah 35:5, with its messianic significance. As the story progresses [here and through several readings to come], the once-blind man gradually comes to an awareness of who Jesus is, while the Pharisees lapse into deeper darkness." It is another illustration of the power of His truth, which has been compared to a sword (especially by St. Paul). Our response to this light of grace determines how and what and to what extent we see. This sword of light will open up divisions that cut through all things we think we know, all bodies and unities we may understand. Here it opens up more controversy among the Pharisees. It invites all to think, to respond, to reflect, to accept or to reject.

My study bible points out for us that this passage (which will extend through tomorrow's reading), along with chapters 3 and 5 of John's Gospel, was read on the Saturday night of Easter in the ancient Church, when Christian catechumens were baptized. It notes, "It reiterates the paschal themes of washing, illumination, healing, faith, conversion, and salvation." But what we can see here is the gradual illumination of the blind man, through faith. In today's passage, it ends with his assumption that Jesus must be a prophet. He is going by the effects of grace, accepted with faith (expressed by his stumbling walk through Jerusalem to the pool whose name means "Sent"). So our faith can be the same. Life is a journey, just as it was for ancient Israel as they walked in faith into what they did not know. We walk into our own darkness, with the light of Christ and its gradual illumination, the living water that quenches a thirst and continues for us as we continue in faith. I'm sure each person can unfold that story for others, and one's own story of faith continues to unfold in one's own life. Does that light for you gradually dawn brighter and brighter? Are there "laws" and "theories" you may have set for yourself that would set limits on its power to surprise and illumine what you didn't know, to open up new places for your own understanding? Let us not forget that sword, that it may cut through all things, and also create division: your past and your future, even old associations and new. We walk into that light with faith, we seek the water He promises for our thirst. How do you go into that journey today? Let us ask again, what is the Sabbath for? In Christ, the darkness of the world becomes an occasion for the illumination of the light of life. How can we participate in this?