Meditation on blindness

John 9:1ff

Story: Jesus heals a man born blind, and the religious leaders get upset about it...because the healing broke their protocol, and power.

And [the Pharisees] asked [his parents], saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”

His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.”

And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”

Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”

Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.”

Prayer:

Lord God, the darkness is as light as day to you. Even if I sought darkness, you would see me there. “Darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as noonday.” I cannot hide from you – I can only hide you from me. I can only blind myself. Yet my heart speaks for light! Even then, my God, I find that you are the Lord of the blind. “The Lord opens the eyes of the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down.” Ah! Then I am blind, but you are Lord! My blindness is as clear sight to you, my God!

So I see you Jesus. You healed the man born blind in John 9. His physical blindness caused his church no consternation, but his renewed eyesight caused much consternation. Yet they who objected to his healing claimed to see! So the meaning of the act was not about blindness of eyes, but about blindness of heart. I hear your words, Jesus: “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”

Ah, Lord and Christ! Then I am blind, I am blind! I confess: I am blind. Be my God, Lord of the blind, I pray! And in such Lordship, teach me to see.

Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me!
Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me!

“Child, what would you have me do for you?”

Oh, dear Lord…that I might receive my sight…Rabboni…I pray, Amen.

That I might receive my sight, Amen!

Your sight, Lord! Amen!