Meditations on the Sunday Gospel for the Year of the Eucharist
Beginning Sunday March 6th, 2005
of the Lord
spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and
smeared the clay on his eyes, and said to him, "Go wash in
the Pool of Siloam"--which means Sent--. So he went and
washed, and came back able to see.
His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a
beggar said, "Isn't this the one who used to sit and beg?"
Some said, "It is," but others said, "No, he just looks like
him." He said, "I am."
They brought the one who was once blind to the
Pharisees. Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes
on a Sabbath. So then the Pharisees also asked him how
he was able to see. He said to them, "He put clay on my
eyes, and I washed, and now I can see." So some of the
Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, because he does
not keep the Sabbath." But others said, "How can a sinful
man do such signs?" And there was a division among them.
So they said to the blind man again, "What do you have to
say about him, since he opened your eyes?" He said, "He is
a prophet."
They answered and said to him, "You were born totally
in sin, and are you trying to teach us?" Then they threw him
out.
When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he
found him and said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" He
answered and said, "Who is he, sir, that I may believe in
him?" Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and the one
speaking with you is he." He said, "I do believe, Lord," and
he worshiped him.
- John 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38
Gospel. First, it was a long standing belief that illness and disease was a punishment for
personal sin. This is why the Pharisees say to the man that was cured, “You were born
totally in sin, and are you trying to teach us?” In their understanding this man was born
blind because of the sins of his parents and therefore, being a sinner, he was of no use to
them even after his “sin” was removed.
Second, the Pharisees have by this point in history become fanatics in keeping the
letter of the Law of Moses. This explains some of their opposition to Jesus because He
preformed this “work” of curing the blind man on the Sabbath. This sets the Pharisees up
for a troubling dilemma and even causes a division among them (v. 16).
Finally, we are shown, through this Gospel story, how obstinate man can be even in
the face of overwhelming evidence in favor of God. The Pharisees persist in not seeing or
not wanting to see that something miraculous has taken place. They move from doubt at
the beginning of the passage to physical violence at the end warning us all of the power
and danger of pride in blinding us to the obvious. It is ironic that the man born blind moves
from blindness to sight and then to faith while the Pharisees move from doubts about
physical healing to total spiritual blindness and all of this as the result of the same miracle
caused by saliva, dirt, and water.
Apostles and You
was cured. Imagine that the two of you have spent years
begging together and sharing the fruits of your labors.
What thoughts go through your mind as you watch this
traveling Rabbi spit on the ground, make mud, and smear it
on your friend’s eyes? As you lead him to the pool of
Siloam does a conversation take place? What might you
be feeling? What do think your friend is feeling? Do you
have doubts? Are you afraid this Jesus is setting your
friend up for disappointment?
How do feel when your friend looks at you with eyes
that can see for the first time? What emotions do you work
to control as the Pharisees grill your friend with questions
and accusations?
After the questioning and your friend is thrown out how
do you answer the question posed to him by Jesus? Do
you believe in the Son of Man?
You are in the background during the entire time. You started the events with
the cure and end the events by giving the man intimate knowledge of You.
However, You are hidden throughout most of the passage. The miracle You
worked for this man caused him a great deal of suffering at the hands of the
Pharisees yet I never once heard him complain or wish he had never been
cured. The change he experienced was so powerful and so profound that he
was full of joy even in the midst of persecution. Lord, I want that kind of faith. I
want a faith that doesn’t waver under the slightest challenge. I want a faith that
stands firm even when those I know and love desert me. I do believe in the Son
of Man. I do believe, Lord. Help my unbelief.
Lord, the Pharisees were so stuck on fulfilling the letter of the Law they lost sight of the
love behind the Law. I know that I am not exempt from this human fault. Please reveal to me
the areas in my life where I put too much emphasis on observing rules and regulations out of
habit and not out of love for You. [pause and listen]
Lord, the man You cured underwent a great deal of persecution after You cured him. I
can assume that he wanted to see but I am not told that he asked to be healed. Lord, give
me the strength to endure all that You give me. Help me to stay faithful to You through
persecution from friends, family, and co-workers. Help me especially to stay faithful when the
sufferings I must endure are not my will but Yours. [pause and ask the Lord for spiritual
strength]
Jesus, in my journey with You I have come to the point where I no longer ask, “Who is he,
sir, that I may believe in him?” Today, as I kneel here before You in the Blessed Sacrament I
hear Your words deep in my heart, “You have seen Him, and the one speaking with You is
He.” [listen to the One speaking to you]
EUCHARIST
{Making a prostration}
O LORD, Master of my life, grant that I may not be infected with
the spirit of slothfulness and inquisitiveness, with the spirit of
ambition and vain talking.
{Making a prostration}
Grant instead to me, your servant, the spirit of purity and of
humility, the spirit of patience and neighborly love.
{Making a third prostration}
O Lord and King, grant me the grace of being aware of my sins
and of not thinking evil of those of my brethren. For you are
blessed, now and ever, and forever. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, King of Kings, You have power over life
and death. You know what is secret and hidden, and neither
our thoughts nor our feelings are concealed from You. Cure
me of duplicity; I have done evil before You. Now my life
declines from day to day and my sins increase.
O Lord, God of souls and bodies, You know the extreme
frailty of my soul and my flesh. Grant me strength in my
weakness, O Lord, and sustain me in my misery. Give me a
grateful soul that I may never cease to recall Your benefits, O
Lord most bountiful. Be not mindful of my many sins, but
forgive me all my misdeeds.
O Lord, disdain not my prayer - the prayer of a wretched
sinner; sustain me with Your grace until the end, that it may
protect me as in the past. It is Your grace which has taught me
wisdom; blessed are they who follow her ways, for they shall
receive the crown of glory. In spite of my unworthiness, I praise
You and I glorify You, O Lord, for Your mercy to me is without
limit. You have been my help and my protection. May the name
of Your majesty be praised forever. To you, our God, be glory.
Amen.
the pool of Siloe to which you
sent the blind man. But we
have the chalice of Your
Precious Blood, filled with life
and light. The purer we are,
the more we receive."
– St. Ephraem
Meditation in Word Format
Year of the Eucharist Page