As in last week’s Gospel about Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman, this Sunday’s Gospel reading (John 9:1–41) has many allusions to Baptism. The washing of the man in the pool of Siloam is a prototype for Christian Baptism. Through the man’s encounter with Jesus, the man born blind is healed, his sight is restored, and his conversion to discipleship begins.
The man born blind gradually comes to a greater understanding about who Jesus is and what it means to be his disciple, while the Pharisees (those who should see) are the ones who remain blind. Physical blindness, in this reading, is a metaphor for spiritual blindness—the inability to recognize God’s merciful presence in our midst. To be restored to sight is to arrive at a deeper awareness and understanding of Jesus, who is the Word made Flesh. During the season of Lent, we re-visit our Baptism and ask that we once again can be washed clean and our sight restored.
- What experiences in life can cause us to lose sight of the light and to get lost in the darkness?
- Describe an experience when you found yourself coming out of the darkness and into the light.
Here are links to videos related to the theme of this Sunday’s Gospel.
- Arts & Faith: Week 4 of Lent, Cycle A (3:24)
- Jesus of Nazareth: The Man Born Blind (5:45)
- Seven Heartwarming Moments of People Seeing for the First Time (3:54)
- For teens/young adults: Nine-Year Old Ben Gets eSight Live on TV (3:10)
- For meditation: Shepherd Me, O God (4:01)
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