Some reflections on the Gospel of the Man Born Blind

Brothers and sisters in Christ—

Today in the Gospel, we find the theme of spiritual blindness.  We know that often sight is a metaphor for knowledge, and blindness is a metaphor for ignorance.  Here the Son of God proclaims to the man born blind that He came from Heaven so that those who cannot see may see, and those who see may become blind.  This is the judgment of the Son of God on this world, and the sight of which He speaks, is knowledge of the True God, the Holy Trinity.  The blindness of which He speaks is not the blindness of the eyes, but the darkness of the will.  The Lord Jesus describes the condition of people, who freely choose not to see; people, who know the light, but choose to sit in the darkness of evil.  They deny the existence of sin, and yet they are continuously surrounded by the devastation due to sin.

     St. Paul explains in his epistle to the Romans that the Lord God gave us a Law, because he wished to reveal the disobedient spirit in the human race.  Before the Law, there was no sin, because it is impossible to transgress without the Law.  By the Law of Moses, the Lord God revealed His criterion of justice, and sin became clear.  Human beings, oppressed by the spirit of disobedience were not able to choose the good, but were slaves to evil.  Therefore, Our Lord Jesus Christ came from Heaven to show manifest perfect obedience to God’s criterion of justice.  After that, He gave us the only true medicine for sin: The New Law, and the New Justice, which we fulfill through faith.  In the letter to the Romans, St. Paul gives a summary of the thinking regarding the New Law, when he says: “Everything that is not of faith is sin.” By means of the New Law, we are able to fulfill God’s criterion of justice in Christ Jesus by doing three simple things.  First, we must ask for the mercy of God.  God’s mercy is available to us, but we must seek it and ask for it.  As the Lord says to us through His servant, the Holy Prophet Isaiah: “Seek the Lord while He may be found.  Call to Him while He is still near.”

     Second, we must be merciful, for the Lord warns us that we have to forgive the sins of others if we desire that our sins be forgiven, just as we pray in the Our Father: Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We have to fill our lives with works of mercy, according to the example of God Himself, who is generous in His gifts and benefits to all people, even the wicked.

     Third, we have to completely trust God to fulfill His promises.  “Everything that is not of faith is sin,” means that our trust in God has to be simple and complete, according to the example of the Holy Apostle Paul, who wrote: “We know that all things work together unto good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” We need to trust that everything works together for our good.

     The New Law of Christ gives to us the ability to escape from the spiritual blindness, which hold us imprisoned in sin, but we must ask for the mercy of God, we must do merciful and loving things for others. Finally, we must completely trust God in all the circumstances of our life. If our goal is to fill our lives with works of mercy, and if we pray we trust, then we will see everlasting life in Christ’s Kingdom.