Lord, I want to see!

Most of us here have probably never been blind – at least not in the physical sense.  However, we may have had an experience or two that can help us imagine what it would be like to be blind.  Maybe we’ve had eye surgery and been without sight in one eye for a time. Maybe we’ve been in an environment of total darkness – like a cave – and just for a moment we turned off our light.  Maybe while camping we walk away from the fire just a dozen yards and we have nothing but the stars above to guide us.  Maybe, just for a moment, we lose our bearings and there is just a slight sense of panic until we see the light of the fire again. 

Take a moment. Try to place yourself inside the mind of the man born blind.  Close your eyes if that will help.  Keep them closed.

• What would it be like to be blind?
• You have never seen yourself or any part of your body.
• You feel touch. You feel the wind.
• You hear sounds, but you cannot see what makes them.
• You smell fragrances – some sweet, some repulsive.
• You taste things – feel their texture, but don’t know what color they are.
• What is color anyway?
• People blame you or your parents for your blindness. They believe that it is a punishment from God.  You are an outcast.
• Now you talk to this Man – Jesus. He does not blame you.
• You hear him spit on the ground. You feel the warm clay on your eyes.
• Your friends take you to Siloam. You feel the cool water in your face.
• Open your eyes slowly. You can see the smiles of your friends. They shout for joy and bring you back to the assembly. 

As awesome as it is to be able to see, something much more profound is happening to us today.  The man born blind not only receives his sight in a physical sense – but he learns to see with his heart.   He takes a journey of conversion.

• Not knowing Jesus – He referred to him as “The man called Jesus”.
• To recognizing him as a prophet – The Pharisees asked – so what do you have to say about this Jesus who opened your eyes? “He is a prophet.”
• When told that Jesus is a sinner: If he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see.
• To seeing him as a man of God – As the dialogue with the Pharisees continues – the man born blind builds up enough confidence in who Jesus is, that he lectures the Pharisees –“We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him.  It is unheard of that anyone has ever opened the eyes of a person born blind.  If this man were not from God, he would not be able to do anything.” 
• And, of course, this gets him thrown out of the temple, where he sees Jesus again – this time with all his heart. Do you believe in the Son of Man Messianic title in the first century) I do believe, Lord, and he worshiped Him.
• This is a journey of conversion.

Today’s readings are about seeing – but not with our eyes – with our hearts.  Samuel looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is God’s anointed.”  He was seeing what people usually see – good looks, stature, success – but not what is in the heart.  God sees the trappings, but he sees through them.  He is not blinded by them like, at times, we are.  Sometimes we have a blind spot that prevents us from seeing with our heart.  Maybe there is some quality about a person that we find so attractive or so repulsive that we don’t use good judgment around that person.  Let us pray with Samuel, “Help us Lord, to see as you see.”  

The Pharisees can see in the physical sense – but are blind to who Jesus really is.  They throw up obstacle after obstacle to seeing with their hearts. 

• First, the man born blind must be a sinner or his parents were – God doesn’t listen to sinners.
• How can this be that the blind man now sees? He must not have really been blind.  Let’s get his parents in here and question them.
• Then, the cure – well it took place on the Sabbath. God would never let one of his own “work” on the Sabbath – this must be from the evil one.
• The Pharisees had a blind spot – the Strict adherence to the Law. They could not see around it and it kept them from seeing with their hearts.  

The experience of the man born blind is a journey of faith not unlike our own.  Especially for Shae who will be coming into our Church at the Easter Vigil, but for all of us, these 40 days of Lent are an opportunity to open our hearts like we open our eyes and see Jesus for who he really is – the Messiah.  We may have lots of objections or rationalizations for not dealing with those things that prevent us from accepting the love of Jesus and letting it transform our hearts as it has the power to do.  This Lent, these three weeks that remain can change all of that.

My brothers and sisters, St. Paul calls us to live as children of the light. We are given the opportunity – if we can get past our objections – to shine the light of Christ into all the dark corners of our lives.  By ourselves, our sins are powerful, and we feel helpless, blind in front of them.  We keep silent about sin, and it continues to cast dark shadows in our lives.  Those shadows fall on us, but also on those we love.  Jesus can help.  Jesus told us, “I am the light of the world.”  

One of the great gifts that Jesus gave us through his Church is the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  It is there that we can bring our sins to Christ – the light of the world – and the darkness which holds us captive is shattered – the blindness gone, our eyes are opened.  The sins that we most want to keep in the darkness are probably the ones that we most need to confess.  In that way we break the power that sin has over us.    If we do this – oh what Easter joy there will be. Looking forward to Easter Joy gives us hope.  Feeling the presence of God in our life gives us joy.  And today, Laetare Sunday, in the exact middle of Lent, we rejoice!

As we come to Jesus today, let us resolve to break the power of sin in our lives.  Let us be as the man born blind, seeing with our heart and worshipping Jesus.  And then, let us go forth and live as children of the light.

Lord Jesus, you see into our hearts – Lord have mercy.

Christ Jesus, you call us to live as people of light, Christ have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you show us how to see with our hearts, Lord have mercy.

Deacon Tony