The Sunday Gospels: Fourth Sunday of Lent (Year A)

Fourth Sunday of Lent (Year A)

John 9:1–41

As he went along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus replied, ‘Neither he nor his parents sinned. He was born blind so that the works of God might be revealed in him.

‘As long as day lasts

we must carry out the work of the one who sent me.

Night is coming when no one can work.

As long as I am in the world

I am the light of the world.’

Having said this, he spat on the ground, made a paste with the saliva, spread it on the man’s eyes, and said to him, ‘Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam’ (which means ‘Sent’). So he went off and washed and came back able to see.

His neighbours and people who had earlier seen that he was a beggar said, ‘Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some said, ‘It is.’ Others said, ‘No, but he is like the man.’

The man himself said, ‘Yes, I am the one.’ So they said to him,

‘Then how were your eyes opened?’ He answered, ‘The man called Jesus made a paste, spread it on my eyes and said to me, “Go off and wash at Siloam.” So I went and washed and could see.’ They said to him, ‘Where is he?’ He answered, ‘I do not know.’

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. It had been a Sabbath when Jesus made the paste and opened the man’s eyes, so the Pharisees asked him again how he had come to see. He said to them, ‘He put a paste on my eyes, and I washed, and I can see.’ Then some of the Pharisees said, ‘That man is not from God: he does not keep the Sabbath.’ Others said, ‘How can a sinner produce such signs?’ And there was division among them. So they said to the blind man again,

‘What have you to say about him – as it was your eyes he opened?’ The man answered, ‘He is a prophet.’

However, the Jews would not believe that the man had been blind and had come to see till they had sent for the parents of the man who had come to see and asked them, ‘Is this man your son whom you say was born blind? If so, how can he now see?’ His parents answered, ‘We know that he is our son and that he was born blind, but how he can see, we do not know, nor who opened his eyes. Ask him. He is of age: he will speak for himself.’ His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah should be banned from the synagogue. This was why his parents said, ‘He is of age: ask him.’

So the Jews sent a second time for the man who had been blind and said to him, ‘Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.’ He answered, ‘Whether he is a sinner I don’t know; one thing I do know is that though I was blind I can now see.’ They said to him, ‘What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?’ He replied, ‘I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples yourselves?’ At this they hurled abuse at him, ‘You are his disciple, we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.’ The man replied, ‘The amazing thing is this: that you do not know where he comes from and he has opened my eyes! We know that God does not listen to sinners, but God does listen to someone who reveres God and does his will. Ever since the world began it is unheard of that anyone should open the eyes of someone born blind; if this man were not from God, he would not have been able to do anything.’ They answered and said to him, ‘You were born wholly in sin, and are you teaching us?’ And they drove him out.

Jesus heard they had driven him out, and when he had found him he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of man?’ He replied, ‘And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have seen him, and he is the one speaking to you.’ He said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and worshipped him.

And Jesus said:

‘For judgement I came into this world,

so that those who cannot see might see,

and those who can see might become blind.’

Hearing this, some of the Pharisees who were with him said to him, ‘Surely we are not blind, are we?’ Jesus replied:

‘If you were blind

you would not be to blame,

but since you say,

“We can see,” your guilt remains.’

(Revised New Jerusalem Version)

Other readings: 1 Samuel 16:1, 6–7, 10–13    Psalm 22 (23)    Ephesians 5:8–14

Commentary and guidance for Lectio Divina

By Fr Adrian Graffy of the Pontifical Biblical Commission

This week we have a lengthy passage from the Gospel of John, the story of the man born blind. This is a story of a journey in faith, which invites us to consider our own journey. The words of Jesus at the very start give us the theme: Jesus is the light of the world. Like the man born blind, we too have the opportunity of seeing again, seeing with greater clarity.

Even in the opening verses the man has already had to defend the reality of the healing. Yes, he is indeed the man who was blind from birth and he has indeed been given his sight. As the chapter continues he bears witness to Jesus more and more strongly and more and more indignantly. In the end it is clear that there are none so blind as those who will not see. The religious leaders refuse to see that Jesus brings light into the world. They refuse to acknowledge their own blindness.

It may seem strange that we have the story of David’s anointing as king in today’s first reading (1 Samuel 16). This reminds us that, as we were given the light of faith in baptism, we were also anointed for God’s service. In our second reading (Ephesians 5), St Paul tells the Christians of Ephesus: ‘You were darkness once, but now you are light in the Lord.’

What might we learn from the courageous witness of the man born blind?

Am I to some extent still blind and unwilling to see?

We pray for those who are still seeking the light and discouraged by darkness.

We pray for all those who were due to be baptised at Easter.

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