Sunday Reflection - The Blind Man Sees the Truth

Fr. David Schatz
St. Columbkille Parish, Dubuque, Iowa
March 22, 2020
 
Readings for the Fourth Sunday of Lent
1 Samuel 16, Psalm 23, Ephesian 5:8-14, and John 9:1-41
 
Matthew 9: 24-27
 

So a second time they called the man who had been blind
and said to him, “Give God the praise!
We know that this man is a sinner.”
He replied,
“If he is a sinner, I do not know.
One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see.”
So they said to him,
“What did he do to you?
How did he open your eyes?”
He answered them,
“I told you already and you did not listen.
Why do you want to hear it again?
 
Do you want to become his disciples, too?”

 
Dear Parishioners of St. Columbkille,
 
This weekend, some of your fellow parishioners started trying to call each parishioner. I was pleasantely surprised by the number of volunteers who wanted to reach out. We are in uncharted territory and the power of us together is becoming more and more apparent. Let us keep one another in prayer and help one another have hope in the midst of challenges.
 
Our source of good news is how Jesus is able to turn everything upside down. He did it through the healing of a blind man. He showed people that he wants us to be complete. Yet, Jesus also surprises us through the blind man.
 
The disciples assumed the blind man was a sinner because he was born blind.
Or maybe it was his parents. There had to be some reason.
 
The looking for a reason caused them to miss the good news. Instead of celebrating the good fortune of the blind man; they searched for a reason why this good fortune could not be true.
 
This is where the flip happens. The so-called blind man was the only one who could see the truth. He began to teach everyone about Jesus by testifying to his experience.
 
When we experience Jesus, everything changes. The verse of our Offeratory Song for this week is “We are there when the blind man sees the truth.” This is our invitation to be present in the midst of our Gospel and it gives us many scenes to enter into and experience Jesus.
 
I would encourage you to read the Gospel slowly this afternoon and enter into each scene. Stop for a minute and notice all the details. Notice how Jesus walks with the blind man from blindness to discipleship. We are invited to that same journey.
 
We are held together by our great Lord who never abandons us. Let us live with that confidence each and every day.
 
May God bless and keep you,
 
Fr. David