by Jose Kurian Puliyeril

Gospel Reading: St. John 9: 1-41

The gain of eyesight by the Blind from birth, which is a unique incident in the chain of miracles of our Lord, is the main theme of today's reading. Moreover this portion of the Holy Scripture is known to one and all.

Many people have the mistaken notion that the diseases as well as the paining experiences in the daily lives are due to the sins committed by the individuals. Now also there are many who believe that there is a strong relation between the diseases and sin. When the disciples of our Lord made sure that their Master has seen the blind man from birth, their anxiety and eagerness reached the peaks to know whether he was blind due to his own sins or due to the sins of his parents. They might also have a strong faith of this relation between the diseases and the sins. When a viper fastened to the hand of St. Paul at Melita Island, the barbarians, who watched the incident doubted that St. Paul might be murderer. The Barbarians also might have maintained a faith in the relation between sins and the bad experiences/diseases. Our Lord answers to His disciples that Father's work must be manifested in him. Kindly meditate St. John 11:4 and St. Matthew 11:5 to get an average idea about God's works.

In St. John 9:4, our Lord says I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it day; the night comes when no man can work. When we would read this portion or when we would listen the reading of this portion, would we turn up to ascertain our duties and responsibilities? Kindly think whether we were having a careless attitude to accept any sort of assignments or not. When our Lord says, "We have to do the Father's works as long as the day light is there" does He not assign the responsibility to us too, as we are united to Him through His blood and flesh? We should not forget that we all were granted freedom from the bondage of sins and death to do the will and work of the Father. Kindly read and meditate St. John 4:34, 5:19, and 5: 36. 11; 9-10, 12:35, and 17:34. These portions will help us to find the difference between the day and night in the vision of our Lord God.

In the 5th verse our Lord says that He is the light of the world as long as He is in the world. In St. John 1: 4-5, we read, "In Him was life; and the life was the light of men, and the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not". So also we read in St. John 1:9, "That was the true light, which lightens every men that comes into the world". We must realize the real relation in between the light and the life. And these two originates from God Almighty. Let us try to inherit the divine and Godly light, which we do receive as a free gift. Let us try to re-gain the life and blessed divinity. Let our fasting, Lent, prayers and meditations of this season help us and enable us to achieve these goals.

We must be willing to accept the messages of the verses "I the Lord have called you in righteousness and will hold your hand and will keep you and give you for a covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house." (Isaiah 42: 6-7) as well as, "I will also give you for a light to the Gentiles that you may be my salvation unto the end of the word" (Isaiah 49:6) as heavenly message to each and every one of us. Let us humble ourselves to accept this fact.

Are we reciting, "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit, then I will teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee" (from Psalms 51) whenever we pray, without meaning and intention? Let these lines come out from the bottom of our hearts. Let this prayer be of great expectation and hope. Let our Lent and prayers enable us to be pillars of light and to guide others to the divine lights and truths with help and guidance of the Holy Spirit. A few more days are only left to end the Lent. May God enable us all to make use of the remaining days of the Lent more meaningfully and touchingly. Let us all be filled with the Godly light, so that we could act as the light of the world.

We read about our Lord's interpretation of the Judgment in St. John 3: 19. So also our Lord gives us a promise in St. John 8: 12. The blind man was obedient to our Lord. He obeyed our Lord's instruction. Likewise let us also obey the commandments of our Lord God and attain all sorts of blessings.