Posted by The WORD in other words (2023) by Fr. Gil Alejandria, SVD — Catholic Trade, Manila
4th Sunday of Lent / A
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The healing of the blind man in today’s Gospel became a controversial issue because it happened on a Sabbath day. The Pharisees cast doubt on the person of Jesus because he seemed to have violated the Sabbath regulations. This is an example of how rigidly the Pharisees interpret the observance of the Sabbath day. This is also another example of how Jesus was attempting to teach another way to observe the Sabbath: good deeds done on a Sabbath day should not be seen as violating the Law.
We see here two kinds of blindness: the blindness of the man who was healed and the blindness of the Pharisees who refuse to see the meaning of the healing of the blind man. Indeed, as someone said – there is no one as blind as he who refuses to see. This was the challenge faced by Jesus – how to change the attitude of the Pharisees on Sabbath regulations.
Bringing about change in behavior and ways of thinking that had been in effect for some time is difficult because one is so accustomed to how things are done, and he does not want to leave his comfort zone. Maybe that is also the situation of sinners who refuse conversion. They enjoy their current state and cannot see what is wrong or immoral. Their lack of moral compass has blinded them.
We who strive to be faithful disciples of Jesus have this mission of bringing his light into a world full of darkness and sin. We pray that we may not be overcome by the darkness but keep on burning and shining so that sinners may open their eyes and see the light.
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