| The story of the man born blind is a story of how God listens to everyone who has any need. God listens to sick men and women, to those who are blind, and God listens to sinners, too.
The man born blind is not blind as a punishment for sins. Jesus says that he is blind in order that God's goodness, love, and healing can be made known. In fact, Jesus shows that God does not rest, not even on the Sabbath. God continues to create, to heal, to love, and to forgive.
God continues to create in the world today. God is at work today, on the Sabbath, on a Sunday. If God were to cease creating, then we would suffer greatly. But, God does continue to create and give life and heal and give comfort to all people who need it. Our challenge is to open our eyes to see this truth. We must recognize the blindness that remains in us, not because God made us blind, but because we have not allowed God's grace to help us to see.
The Jewish leaders were blind, too, in a certain way. They are unable to see that Jesus is someone extraordinary. They do not see that Jesus reveals God in ways that the Pharisees and chief priests had not understood.
But this was Jesus purpose for coming into the world. He came so that we might see, and see clearly. He came so that we might have life, and have life in abundance.
Jesus suffered greatly because of the blindness of the Jewish leaders and the Roman officials of his time. They did not accept his revelation. They were so stubborn that they were unable to look at the healings and miracles Jesus performed and see that he was a great man. And because they could not see his greatness they crucified him. And because they could not see his greatness, many could not believe in him after he was raised from the dead.
But we know better, right? We know that Jesus is the Son of God. We know that he was a great man. We know that he healed and forgave people's sins. We know that after he died on the cross that he rose again. We know this, right? We believe this, right?
Today we are asked to believe that God continues to create and heal and forgive among us. We must learn to accept that sight which God offers to us. When we are able to see, then we are able to participate and collaborate with God in healing the sick, forgiving the sinner, assisting the vulnerable, feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, etc. If we refuse God's grace then we will remain blind to the goodness that lives in each of us, including our neighbor, including our enemies, and including strangers.
Jesus revealed to the man born blind that God loved him, even when he was blind. God had not punished him for his sins or for the sins of others. Some people are physically blind, or lame, or deaf, or disabled. But no one is unloved by God. No one is beyond God's grace of forgiveness. And because God sees and loves even a man born blind, then so must we. Because God sees and loves the stranger, then so must we. Because God sees and loves those who have sinned, then so must we.
As we receive communion today, may our response, our “Amen” to the Body and Blood of Christ be a testament to our faith, to our sight, to our love, to our desire to cooperate with God, as God loves, and heals, and forgives, and creates.
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