As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’ When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. --John 9: 1-8
I'm often interested in the Biblical stories where there is someone with a disability who Jesus heals, and hence uses as an example to others of God working in the world. Too often, I think these stories get interpreted in ways that I think miss the larger (and more essential) truth. On the one hand, people with disabilities who have had to put up with overly-zealous Jesus fanatics might cringe at these tales of miracles because they have had to dodge the very earnest attempts to "heal" them of their limps, blindness or deafness. My friend Terry tells a very sad, but funny story, of a relative who brought her to a tent revival in hopes of curing her or her deafness. Upon having hands laid on her, Terry rose up from the ground and proclaimed, "I can walk!!"
Then there is the other troublesome "hang up" of this tale which even the disciples state (who sinned to cause this man to be blind?). Disability is not a sin. Like so many things in our world, disability is part of our human tapestry. Does that mean that people who are disabled are always happy to have the disability? Certainly not. But many who are blind or deaf or have some other difference are no more sinful than you and I, and have found ways to adapt in a world that many times puts up barriers. Now all they want is to be treated like everybody else. And please spare them the pity party, thank you very much.
The story of this blind man... and the stories of the deaf and the lame who gain 'wholeness' in their bodies... I think are not so much about the physical healing. That's there, for sure. But it would seem the bigger message for all of us is what will happen to those who have an intimate contact with God. God will give you new eyes to see, new ears to hear, new feet to dance.
I have undergone some of this transformation myself. I spent years and years working in radio where my ability to hear was critical to my work... certainly on par with my ability to write and speak. So it makes sense that when God decided to seek me out, it was my aural sense that experienced the touch most strongly. Hymns that wouldn't go away; a booming voice commanding me to "Show up!"; and when I did, it was as if I was hearing all the prayers, the Scriptures and the music for the first time in my life and I was blown away.
It is an awesome feeling. And it is often too hard to articulate in any complete fashion. It's also something that most are not wanting to hear about. Same for our formerly blind character of this passage from John's gospel:
The neighbours and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, ‘Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some were saying, ‘It is he.’ Others were saying, ‘No, but it is someone like him.’ He kept saying, ‘I am the man.’ But they kept asking him, ‘Then how were your eyes opened?’ He answered, ‘The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, “Go to Siloam and wash.” Then I went and washed and received my sight.’ They said to him, ‘Where is he?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ --John 9:9-12
What he does know is what he's told them. And that, for this man, is enough. But that is not enough for other people who want to poke holes in this man's miraculous moment:
They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, ‘He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.’ Some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.’ But others said, ‘How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?’ And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, ‘What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.’ He said, ‘He is a prophet.’-- John 9: 13-17
This poor guy will get continuously bothered over this until the authorities declare that he was blind because of his sin and throw him out. This after they accuse him of basically faking his blindness to begin with!
Sometimes, the workings of God in the individual are such that those on the outside of that experience don't understand it, doubt it, and try to diminish it. But for the one who is in the thick of this relationship with God, who now sees, hears and dances, there is no shaking what they know to be true. God's ability to break us open is real.
I'm often interested in the Biblical stories where there is someone with a disability who Jesus heals, and hence uses as an example to others of God working in the world. Too often, I think these stories get interpreted in ways that I think miss the larger (and more essential) truth. On the one hand, people with disabilities who have had to put up with overly-zealous Jesus fanatics might cringe at these tales of miracles because they have had to dodge the very earnest attempts to "heal" them of their limps, blindness or deafness. My friend Terry tells a very sad, but funny story, of a relative who brought her to a tent revival in hopes of curing her or her deafness. Upon having hands laid on her, Terry rose up from the ground and proclaimed, "I can walk!!"
Then there is the other troublesome "hang up" of this tale which even the disciples state (who sinned to cause this man to be blind?). Disability is not a sin. Like so many things in our world, disability is part of our human tapestry. Does that mean that people who are disabled are always happy to have the disability? Certainly not. But many who are blind or deaf or have some other difference are no more sinful than you and I, and have found ways to adapt in a world that many times puts up barriers. Now all they want is to be treated like everybody else. And please spare them the pity party, thank you very much.
The story of this blind man... and the stories of the deaf and the lame who gain 'wholeness' in their bodies... I think are not so much about the physical healing. That's there, for sure. But it would seem the bigger message for all of us is what will happen to those who have an intimate contact with God. God will give you new eyes to see, new ears to hear, new feet to dance.
I have undergone some of this transformation myself. I spent years and years working in radio where my ability to hear was critical to my work... certainly on par with my ability to write and speak. So it makes sense that when God decided to seek me out, it was my aural sense that experienced the touch most strongly. Hymns that wouldn't go away; a booming voice commanding me to "Show up!"; and when I did, it was as if I was hearing all the prayers, the Scriptures and the music for the first time in my life and I was blown away.
It is an awesome feeling. And it is often too hard to articulate in any complete fashion. It's also something that most are not wanting to hear about. Same for our formerly blind character of this passage from John's gospel:
The neighbours and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, ‘Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some were saying, ‘It is he.’ Others were saying, ‘No, but it is someone like him.’ He kept saying, ‘I am the man.’ But they kept asking him, ‘Then how were your eyes opened?’ He answered, ‘The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, “Go to Siloam and wash.” Then I went and washed and received my sight.’ They said to him, ‘Where is he?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ --John 9:9-12
What he does know is what he's told them. And that, for this man, is enough. But that is not enough for other people who want to poke holes in this man's miraculous moment:
They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, ‘He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.’ Some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.’ But others said, ‘How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?’ And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, ‘What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.’ He said, ‘He is a prophet.’-- John 9: 13-17
This poor guy will get continuously bothered over this until the authorities declare that he was blind because of his sin and throw him out. This after they accuse him of basically faking his blindness to begin with!
Sometimes, the workings of God in the individual are such that those on the outside of that experience don't understand it, doubt it, and try to diminish it. But for the one who is in the thick of this relationship with God, who now sees, hears and dances, there is no shaking what they know to be true. God's ability to break us open is real.
1 comment:
I found this to be one of the more compelling stories that I have read this summer. I think this young man really had a problem with the others in the Temple. Shame on them.
Peggins
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