John 9

TEXT Isn't John 9 an amazing story? It draws us in through all our senses. We start out looking over the disciples shoulders at a blind man and wondering what it would be like to live in darkness. There's the sound of Jesus spitting. One can almost feel the cool, slimy-yet-gritty mud in Jesus' palm as he rubs it into paste. There's that public-fountain-smell around the pool of Siloam just before the sound of the splash that washes away the mud. And then POW! Color is everywhere! Those of us who've had sight all our lives are seeing a brand new with him! White clouds pulse in front of an endless blue sky. Green palms accent everything. A dark red ant crawls over someone's brown toe. We're like kids on a playground. Someone points at a banana and shout's yellow! We chase a rust colored dog through the market. A merchant holds up a carpet and our once-blind-friend runs his hand over it studying the intricate interplay of color and texture. We turn and enter the synagogue. And the wise rabbi unrolls the scroll and brand new eyes gloss over with tears. Somehow they already know they are looking at holy words. Everyone's quiet. Then the hall monitors barge in! It is absolutely mind blowing that they can so focus on the crime and miss the miracle! But that's only because we see no better than they. Teachers often miss it when the playground bully stops to help a younger kid pick up the books she dropped. Restaurant managers don't always know that a regularly late employee is tardy because they drop off groceries to a shut in neighbor, who is lonely and likes to talk. Teenagers can simply be blind to the breathtaking talent of the shy, pimple-face artist in the back of the room. It is probably true that people bring most of their suffering on to themselves. But one doesn't have to have 20/20 eyesight to see that. To see miracles in messes, that takes eyes like Jesus. Peterson does a great job with verse 39. Here it is from the Message: Jesus then said, "I came into the world to bring everything into the clear light of day, making all the distinctions clear, so that those who have never seen will see, and those who have made a great pretense of seeing will be exposed as blind." Holy Father, who sees things as they are, and as they can be, help us see. Wash the scales of cynicism and hard history from our eyes. May holy vision be one of those things we can't leave behind. Grace and Peace be with you all,