The gospel reading around which the prayers of this Sunday are structured is about the man born blind. The question asked by the disciples was about cause and effect – who or what was responsible for the man’s blindness. In the time of Jesus there was a strong belief that God punished people for their sins in the here
and now. There was also the belief that people would be held responsible and punished for the sins of others.
We can also engage in that type of thinking when we ascribe both blessing and misfortune to God rewarding us or punishing us. One of the stages of grief as described by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross is bargaining. We promise to change if only… But God is not a corrupt judge that we can bribe or bargain with.
The response of Jesus makes clear that the individuals concerned did not bear any responsibility for their situation, or at least, it was not a punishment from God. Often the pains of our life are the result of our own choices. God does not punish the murderer in this life, that’s the work of the criminal justice system, and the
criminal’s jail sentence was not caused by God.
The example of Jesus shows us that when we invite Jesus into the messiness of our lives, into our woundedness, then we open the possibility for God to do amazing things for us. In Romans 8: 28 we are told that God turns to the good all things that we entrust to him, or words to that effect. The man who was born
blind welcomed Jesus into his situation, and Jesus was then able to bring about good for him, but also for those who witnessed it, through increasing their faith and giving God Glory.
Lord Jesus,
you are the true light that enlightens the world.
Through your Spirit of Truth,
free those who are enslaved by the father of lies.
Stir up the desire for good in these your elect,
whom you have chosen for your sacraments.
Let them rejoice in your light,
that they may see,
and like the man born blind whose sight you restored,
let them prove to be staunch and fearless witnesses to the faith,
for you are Lord for ever and ever.
Amen.
