Jn 9, 1-41 “He went, washed, and came back seeing”

At that time, as Jesus was passing by, he saw a man born blind.

His disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned, he or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Jesus answered: “Neither he sinned nor his parents, but the works of God must be revealed in him.”

I must do the works of him that sent me every day. The night comes when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world!”

Having said this, he spat on the ground, made mud from his saliva, anointed the blind man’s eyes with it, and said to him: “Go and bathe in the pool of Siloam.” (“Siloam” means “Sent One”). So he went, washed, and returned seeing.

Neighbors and other people who saw him begging asked, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit begging?” Some said, “That’s him.” Others: “Not at all, just like him.” And he replied: “Yes, it is me.”

Then they asked him, “And how were your eyes opened?”

He said, “A man named Jesus made mud, put it on my eyes and said, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ I went and washed and passed away.” They asked again: “Where are you?” He replied: “I don’t know.”

Then they took the former blind man to the Pharisees. And the day Jesus made dirt and opened his eyes was the Sabbath. The Pharisees began to question him again, as if he had lost his sight. He explained, “He smeared mud on my eyes, I washed, and now I can see.”

Some of the Pharisees said, “That man is not of God, because he does not keep the Sabbath.” And others said the opposite, “How could a sinner do such signs?!” And their opinions differed. Then they ask the former blind man again: “And what do you think of the man who opened your eyes?” He replied: “He is a prophet.”

The Jews did not want to believe that he was really blind and sighted. They ordered the parents of the sighted man to be called and began to interrogate them: “Is this your son, whom you say was born blind?” So how does he see now?” His parents answered, “We know that he is our son and that he was born blind. And how he lost his sight, we do not know, nor who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him himself, he is an adult and let him speak for himself.” The parents said this, fearing the Jews. Because the Jews had decided that anyone who confesses that Jesus is the Messiah should be thrown out of the synagogue. So his parents said, “He is an adult, ask him yourself.”

Then they called the former blind man a second time and said: “Praise God!” We know that man is a sinner.” He replied, “Whether he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I know: I was blind, and now I see.” They asked again, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He replied: “I already told you, but you don’t listen. What else do you want to hear? Maybe you want to become his disciples too?”

Then they rebuked him, saying, “You are his disciple, and we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses, but where this one came from, we do not know.”

The man answered them, “It is really amazing that you do not know where he is from. And he opened my eyes! We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens only to his worshipers who do his will. It has not been heard of since ages that anyone has opened the eyes of one born blind! If this one had not been from God, he could not have done such a thing.”

They shouted at him: “You were born in sin and you still want to teach us?!” And they drove him out.

Jesus learned that they had cast him out, and when he met him, he asked him: “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered: “And who is he, Lord, that I should believe him?” Jesus said: “You have already seen him, and now he talking to you.” The man cried out, “I believe, Lord!” and fell down and worshiped him.

And Jesus spoke: “I came into this world to judge, so that the blind may receive their sight, and the seeing may become blind.” When the Pharisees who were with him heard this, they asked: “Are we blind too?” Jesus answered: “If you were blind, you would not have sin.” , but here you say: ‘We are not blind!’ “So it’s your fault.”

Daily readings: lk.katalikai.lt.

The author of the gospel commentary is Fr. Robert Urbonavičius

The fourth Sunday of Lent, like the third Sunday of Advent, is called joyful (Latin Laetare and Got it). Instead of the violet color of repentance, the liturgy is dressed in pink – the color of restrained joy.

This Sunday’s liturgy gives us the pearl of the Gospel according to John – the story of the healing of the blind man. It is a perfect story that shows a person’s path from spiritual darkness to the light of faith.

Ironically, Jesus’ miracle becomes a source of controversy and anger. The religious elite interrogate the former blind man as if he were the greatest criminal, demanding that he say who he thinks Jesus is, because he cannot be from God because he heals on the Sabbath, which is a violation of God’s Law.

The greater the anger and confusion of the religious leaders, the stronger and clearer the former blind man’s faith becomes: “It is really amazing that you do not know where he is from. And he opened my eyes! We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens only to his worshipers who do his will. It has not been heard of since ages that anyone has opened the eyes of one born blind! If this man had not been from God, he could not have done such a thing.”

The idea of ​​the Gospel is clear: “I came into this world to judge – that the blind may see, and the seeing be blind.” The Pharisees who were with him, hearing this, asked: “Are we blind?” Jesus answered: “If you were blind, you would not have sin.” , but here you say: ‘We are not blind!’ “So it’s your fault.”

Rejection of the truth, stubbornness, indulging in one’s own wisdom and supposed knowledge, unwillingness to let go of one’s preconceptions and look deeper are all signs of spiritual blindness. A blindness that is almost incurable, because it is a willfully assumed blindness that arises from the opposition to the Light carried by the evil spirit.