Today's Gospel: John 9:1-41

This Gospel passage covers many different points. While Jesus mainly addresses faulty presumptions about the causes of personal hardships, he also makes many subtler points about faith, fear, the purpose of the Cross and our cross, discerning Truth vs truth, and the price of discipleship.

During the time of Christ, Jews certainly associated personal status, wealth, and well-being as having good standing with God, even though they should have been very familiar with the story of Job found in the Old Testament. Jesus addressed the false presumptions of the Pharisees quite dramatically in this passage.

Unfortunately, linking hardships with personal sin continues even today. One day, I had a conversation with a Christian woman who flat out told me that my lack of faith was saddling Kyra, our infant daughter, with Down Syndrome for her lifetime. She felt that Kyra could be cured if only I prayed enough. The comments stung deeply; but I dismissed her comments after reading this passage. I also reasoned that if Kyra’s condition is the direct result of personal sin then our other six children should also have similar disorders. The woman basically could not find one good thing to say about Down Syndrome. We know that Kyra’s condition is not a curse but a blessing in so many beautiful ways. She has taught us so much because she has Down Syndrome.

Kyra also has a beautifully simple faith — not in spite of her condition — but in part because of having limited cognitive function. She allowed us to better understand Jesus when he said: "I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind.” Like the Beatitudes found in Matthew 5:1-12A, this passage invites us to look at the purpose of life through Jesus’ eyes.

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Ponder:

What does Jesus mean when he says that “he came into the world so that those who do not see might see and those who do see might become blind”?

Pray:

Dear Lord, please help us to bear hardships and difficulties in life with grace, and a joyful attitude. Help us to trust that you will not force too heavy of a load on us. Increase our faith. Please have mercy on us when we are weak and weary. Sustain us with your grace.

 

Copyright 2017 Linda Kracht

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