Christ Healing the Blind
Lucas van Leyden
1531
Oil on canvas transferred from wood, 115,5 x 150,5 cm
The Hermitage, St. Petersburg
Posted on 03/21/2020 9:22:22 PM PDT by Salvation
The LORD said to Samuel:
“Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way.
I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem,
for I have chosen my king from among his sons.”
As Jesse and his sons came to the sacrifice,
Samuel looked at Eliab and thought,
“Surely the LORD’s anointed is here before him.”
But the LORD said to Samuel:
“Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature,
because I have rejected him.
Not as man sees does God see,
because man sees the appearance
but the LORD looks into the heart.”
In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel,
but Samuel said to Jesse,
“The LORD has not chosen any one of these.”
Then Samuel asked Jesse,
“Are these all the sons you have?”
Jesse replied,
“There is still the youngest, who is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said to Jesse,
“Send for him;
we will not begin the sacrificial banquet until he arrives here.”
Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them.
He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold
and making a splendid appearance.
The LORD said,
“There—anoint him, for this is the one!”
Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand,
anointed David in the presence of his brothers;
and from that day on, the spirit of the LORD rushed upon David.
R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Brothers and sisters:
You were once darkness,
but now you are light in the Lord.
Live as children of light,
for light produces every kind of goodness
and righteousness and truth.
Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.
Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness;
rather expose them, for it is shameful even to mention
the things done by them in secret;
but everything exposed by the light becomes visible,
for everything that becomes visible is light.
Therefore, it says:
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will give you light.”
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth.
His disciples asked him,
“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents,
that he was born blind?”
Jesus answered,
“Neither he nor his parents sinned;
it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.
We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day.
Night is coming when no one can work.
While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
When he had said this, he 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.”
So they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”
He replied,
“The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes
and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’
So I went there and washed and was able to see.”
And they said to him, “Where is he?”
He said, “I don’t know.”
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.”
Now the Jews did not believe
that he had been blind and gained his sight
until they summoned the parents of the one who had gained his sight.
They asked them,
“Is this your son, who you say was born blind?
How does he now see?”
His parents answered and said,
“We know that this is our son and that he was born blind.
We do not know how he sees now,
nor do we know who opened his eyes.
Ask him, he is of age;
he can speak for himself.”
His parents said this because they were afraid
of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed
that if anyone acknowledged him as the Christ,
he would be expelled from the synagogue.
For this reason his parents said,
“He is of age; question him.”
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?”
They ridiculed him and said,
“You are that man’s disciple;
we are disciples of Moses!
We know that God spoke to Moses,
but we do not know where this one is from.”
The man answered and said to them,
“This is what is so amazing,
that you do not know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes.
We know that God does not listen to sinners,
but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him.
It is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind.
If this man were not from God,
he would not be able to do anything.”
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,
the one speaking with you is he.”
He said,
“I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him.
Then Jesus 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.”
Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this
and said to him, “Surely we are not also blind, are we?”
Jesus said to them,
“If you were blind, you would have no sin;
but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains.
As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth.
He 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.
Please FReepmail me to get on/off the Lenten Ping List.
KEYWORDS: catholic; jn9; laetare; lent; prayer;
This should have been above.
Please FReepmail me to get on/off the Lenten Ping List
From: 1 Samuel 16:1-13
David is Anointed
[6] When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.” [7] But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature because I have rejected him; for the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” [8] Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” [9] Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” [10] And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” [11] And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and fetch him; for we will not sit down till he comes here.” [12] And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is he.” [13] Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
***********************************************************************
Commentary:
16:1-31:13. This, the last section of 1 Samuel, begins with an account of the gradual decline of Saul until his eventual death in the battle of Gilboa against the Philistines (chap. 31); it also deals with the tortuous and sometimes slow rise to power of the new king, David. Strictly speaking, this section should also take in the final chapter of 2 Samuel. From a literary point of view we can see that the text is very much in the style of a court chronicle focusing only on episodes in which the kings play the leading role. Many of the events covered here are repeated twice—for example, David’s entry into Saul’s service (16:14-23; 18:1-2), Saul’s attempt on David’s life (18:10-11; 19:9-10), Saul’s promise to give David his daughter’s hand in marriage (18:17-19; 18:20-27), Jonathan’s pleading on David’s behalf (19:1-7; 20:25-34), David’s flight (19:10-18; 20:1-21) and the opportunity he gets to take Saul’s life (24:7-8; 26:11-12). All this goes to show that the editor has used material from a variety of sources and not made any great effort to merge them properly.
In the episodes recounted here there are few religious references, whereas the tensions between Saul and David are exposed in all their starkness; in fact, even though these chapters deal with the most famous of kings, David, and stress God’s special love for him, no effort is made to gloss over his failings and transgressions (contrary to what happens in 1 and 2 Chronicles). David comes across as a shrewd politician, capable of allying himself with the eternal enemies of his people, the Philistines, in order to save himself (chap. 27); as a usurper of Saul’s throne (chaps. 19 and 21); as a man of strong passions capable of slaughter on a grand scale (21:12; 22:17) and other human weaknesses (18:17-27; 25:32-44), yet capable, too, of great loyalty to the Lord’s anointed king (chaps. 24-26) and to his own friends (chap. 20). So, these accounts expose the most human side of the personalities involved, but they also allow us to see that the Lord God of Israel is the main protagonist even though he is in the background—mainly because it is he who chooses David and stays with him, from the first moment that he enters the picture (16:1) and through all the crises of his career: witness the constant refrain “the Lord is with him” (16:18; 18:14, 28). Saul, David and the rest of the players in this history are not guided by a blind destiny: they are all playing their part in God’s plan of salvation The great lesson contained in these accounts is that the Lord does not normally intervene by way of miracles or amazing actions; he guides the course of history through lights and shadows until he attains his key objective—to make himself known to all mankind and lead it to salvation. The other great lesson is that this salvific history steadily advances, amidst ups and downs—acts of heroism, human weaknesses—until it reaches its fully developed stage in Jesus Christ.
16:1-13. Samuel’s anointing of David, in a private, familial setting, is reminiscent of Saul’s anointing, which was also done in secret (cf. 10:1-16). The narrative emphasizes that David does not in any way merit his election: he is a nobody, from a family of no importance: no genealogy is provided, apart from the name of Jesse, his father (v. 5); he is the youngest of his brothers (vv. 11-12) and, like the rest of his family, he works as a shepherd: he doesn’t come from a noble or military or priestly family. He could have no claim to be anointed king.
God’s gratuitous choice of this shepherd boy gives deep, religious meaning to his reception by Saul (16:14-23) and by the people, when he later kills Goliath (17:55-18:5). David’s qualities and feats would not have been enough to advance him, had not God first singled him out. David is a type of those who in the Christian dispensation are called to offices in the Church: what matters is not background, personal qualities or material resources but the realization that one is called by God. Also, one needs to bear in mind that “man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (v. 7); from this derives the requirement to live and act in keeping with the call one is given. “For by his power to know himself in the depths of his being he rises above the whole universe of mere objects. When he is drawn to think about his real self, he turns to those deep recesses of his being where God who probes the heart awaits him, and where he himself decides his own destiny in the sight of God” (Vatican II, “Gaudium Et Spes”, 14).
From: Ephesians 5:8-14
Walking in the Light
[14] Therefore it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.”
***********************************************************************
Commentary:
8-9. In contrast to the Christian’s previous situation, which St. Paul describes as “darkness”, he now goes on to speak about the proper
course for a believer, for someone enlightened by faith. The Christian is in a different position from that of a pagan; he knows our Lord Jesus Christ and he has a new way of thinking: he is a “child of light”, because Christ has given him insight into the criteria which should govern his behavior. In his new life, he should be light; he has been reborn to be the “light of the world” (cf. Matthew 5:14-16; John 1:5; 8:12), a pursuer of all that is good and right and true; this means that he has a new way of being and thinking and acting, and is an example and a help to those around him. There is no room for excuses when what is at stake is the salvation of souls to whom we could be giving a helping hand: “Do not say, I cannot help others,” St. John Chrysostom preached, “if you are truly a Christian, it is impossible for you not to be able to do so [...]. If we act properly, everything else will follow as a natural consequence. Christians’ light cannot be hidden, a lamp so brilliant cannot fail to be seen” (”Hom. on Acts”, 20).
10. Created in the image and likeness of God, man is guided by reason, which can lead him to recognize his Creator and shape his life in line with the moral law God has impressed upon creation itself. He should always be trying to grow in wisdom and knowledge: that is an essential feature of the human spirit. The Second Vatican Council explained this in these terms: “The intellectual nature of man finds at last its perfection, as it should, in wisdom, which gently draws the human mind to look for and to love what is true and good. Filled with wisdom man is led through visible realities to those which cannot be seen” (”Gaudium Et Spes”, 15). If a person uses his natural intellect properly, it will bring him closer to God; moreover, the light of faith gives one a supernatural capacity to obtain better insight into the nature of God and His plans, and greater discernment as to what to do to please God.
A person who is in love tries to discover what the loved one likes, in order to do what pleases the loved one. The love of God should also lead one to prove that love with deeds, and not leave it at the level of words. If one is to offer God actions which are pleasing to Him, one needs to have a good grasp of His commandments, of Christian doctrine and moral teaching. A first sign of the sincerity of a person’s love of God is the effort he makes to obtain good spiritual and doctrinal training; that shows that he is at least making an effort in the right direction.
11-13. By his word and example, a Christian sheds light on all human realities, and thereby helps others to distinguish right from wrong. Anything that becomes visible is “light”: that is, when things are properly identified—when good is shown to be good, and evil exposed for what it is (charitably but unambiguously)—the result is to dispel the confusion and moral relativism which does such harm to society. Hence the Second Vatican Council’s exhortation to all Christians, especially lay people: “At a time when new questions are being put and when grave errors aiming at undermining religion, moral order and human society itself are rampant, the Council earnestly exhorts the laity to take a more active part, each according to his or her talents and knowledge and in fidelity to the mind of the Church, in the explanation and defense of Christian principles and in the correct application of them to the problems of our times” (”Apostolicam Actuositatem”, 6).
14. St. Paul seems to be quoting from an early liturgical hymn, which depicts Baptism as true enlightenment (cf. Hebrews 6:4; 10:32). By their good works—the light of the world—Christians can help “the dead”, that is, those separated from God by sin, to move out of
darkness into the light, where they will attain through Baptism that new life which membership of Christ begins. The Apostle is comparing this situation to the luminous clarity a person obtains when he awakens from a deep sleep, in contrast to the profound darkness experienced by one who remains asleep. A sinner’s conversion is the equivalent of rising up out of the sleep of death into a new existence, life in a new world illuminated by Christ, who possesses and radiates the glorious light of God (cf. Hebrews 1:3).
From: John 9:1-41
The Cure of the Man Born Blind
[13] They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. [14] Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. [15] The Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” [16] Some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such things?” There was a division among them. [17] So they again said to the blind man, “What do you say about Him, since He has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”
[18] The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight, [19] and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” [20] His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; [21] but how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” [22] His parents said this because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if any one should confess Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. [23] Therefore his parents said, “He is of age, ask him.”
The Blindness of the Jews
[35] Jesus heard that they had cast him out and having found him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” [36] He answered, “And who is He, Sir, that I may believe in Him?” [37] Jesus said to him, “You have seen Him, and it is He who speaks to you.” [38] He said, “Lord, I believe”; and he worshipped Him. [39] Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” [40] Some of the Pharisees near Him heard this, and they said to Him, “Are we also blind?” [41] Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see’, your guilt remains.”
*************************************************************************
Commentary:
2-3. The disciples’ question echoes general Jewish views on the causes of illness and of misfortunes in general: they regarded them as punishment for personal sins (cf. Job 4:7-8; 2 Maccabees 7:18), or as the sins of parents being visited on their children (cf. Tobit 3:3).
We know through Revelation (cf. Genesis 3:16-19; Romans 5:12; etc.) that the origin of all the misfortunes which afflict mankind is sin—Original Sin and later personal sin. However, this does not mean that each misfortune or illness has its immediate cause in a personal sin, as if God inflicted or allowed evils to happen in direct proportion to every sin committed. Suffering, which is so often a factor in the life of the just man, can be a resource God sends him to cleanse him of his imperfections, to exercise him in virtue and to unite him to the sufferings of Christ the Redeemer, who although He was innocent, bore in Himself the punishments our sins merited (cf. Isaiah 53:4; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 3:5). For example, our Lady and St. Joseph and all the Saints have experienced intense suffering, thereby sharing in the redemptive suffering of Christ.
4-5. The “day” refers to Jesus’ life on earth. Hence the urgency with which He approaches the task of doing the will of the Father until He reaches His death, which He compares with “night”. This “night” can also be understood as referring to the end of the world; in this passage it means that the Redemption of men brought about by Christ needs to be continued by the Church throughout the centuries, and also that Christians should strive to spread the Kingdom of God.
“Time is precious, time passes, time is a phase of experiment with regard to our decisive and definitive fate. Our future and eternal destiny depends on the proof we give of faithfulness to our duties. Time is a gift from God; it is a question posed by God’s love to our free and, it can be said, fateful answer. We must be sparing of time, in order to use it well, in the intense activity of our life of work, love and suffering.Idleness or boredom have no place in the life of a Christian! Rest, yes, when necessary (cf. Mark 6:31), but always with a view to vigilance, never set” ([Pope] Paul VI, “Homily”, 1 January 1976).
Jesus proclaims that He is the Light of the world because His life among men has given us the ultimate meaning of the world, of the life of every man and every woman, and of mankind as a whole. Without Jesus all creation is in darkness, it does not understand itself, it does not know where it is going. “Only in the mystery of the Incarnate Word does the mystery of man take on light. [...] Through Christ and in Christ, the riddles of sorrow and death grow meaningful; apart from His Gospel they overwhelm us” (Vatican II, “Gaudium Et Spes”, 22). Jesus warns us—as He will do more clearly in John 12:35-36—of the need to let ourselves be enlightened by the Light, which is He Himself (cf. John 1:9-12).
6-7. This cure is done in two stages—Jesus’ action on the eyes of the blind man, and the man being told to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. Our Lord also used saliva to cure a man who was deaf and dumb (cf. Mark 7:33) and another blind man (cf. Mark 8:23). The pool of Siloam was a reservoir built by King Hezekiah in the seventh century B.C., to supply Jerusalem with water (cf. Kings 20:20; 2 Chronicles 32:30); the prophets regarded these waters as a sign of divine favor (cf. Isaiah 8:6; 22:11). St. John, using the broader etymology of the word Siloam, applies it to Jesus who is the “One sent” by the Father. Our Lord works through the medium of matter to produce effects which exceed anything matter can do. Something similar will occur with the Sacraments: through His word He will confer on material media the power of spiritually regenerating man.
Our Lord’s instruction to the blind man is reminiscent of the miracle of Naaman, the Syrian general who was cured of leprosy when, on the instruction of the prophet Elisha, he washed seven times in the waters of the Jordan (cf. 2 Kings 5:1ff). Naaman had hesitated before obeying; whereas the blind man obeys promptly without asking questions or raising objections.
“What an example of firm faith the blind man gives us! A living, operative faith. Do you behave like this when God commands, when so often you cannot see, when your soul is worried and the light is gone? What power could the water possibly contain that when the blind man’s eyes were moistened with it they were cured? Surely some mysterious eye salve, or a precious medicine made up in the laboratory of some wise alchemist, would have done better? But the man believed; he acted upon the command of God, and he returned with eyes full of light” ([St] J. Escriva, “Friends of God”, 193).
8-34. After recounting the miracle, the Evangelist reports the doubts of the man’s friends and neighbors (verses 8-12) and inquiry made by the Pharisees: they question the man (verses 13-17), his parents (verses 18-23), and then the man again, whom they end up condemning and expelling from their presence (verses 24-34). This passage is so full of detail that it looks like an eyewitness account.
The Fathers and Doctors of the Church have seen this miracle as symbolizing the Sacrament of Baptism in which, through the medium of water, the soul is cleansed and receives the light of faith: “He sent the man to the pool called the pool of Siloam, to be cleansed and to be enlightened, that is, to be baptized and receive in Baptism full enlightenment” (St. Thomas Aquinas, “Commentary on St. John, in loc.”).
This episode also reflects the different attitudes of people to our Lord and His miracles. The blind man, a straightforward person, believes in Jesus as envoy, prophet (verses 17, 33) and Son of God (verses 17, 33, 38); whereas the Pharisees persist in not wanting to see or believe, despite the clear evidence before them (verses 24-34).
In this miracle Jesus once again reveals Himself as the light of the world. This bears out the statement in the prologue: “The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world” (1-9). Not only does He give light to the eyes of the blind man: He enlightens his soul, leading him to make an act of faith in His divinity (verse 38). At the same time we can see the obvious drama of those whose blindness darkens their minds, as our Lord said in His dialogue with Nicodemus: “The light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19).
14-16. The Pharisees bring up the same accusation as they did when the paralyzed man was cured beside the pool (John 5:10) and as on other occasions Jesus has broken the Law because He cures the sick on the Sabbath (cf. Luke 13:16; 14:5, etc.). Christ had often taught that observance of the law of Sabbath rest (cf. Exodus 20:8, 11; 21:13; Deuteronomy 5:14) was compatible with the duty to do good (cf. Matthew 12:3-8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5). Charity, the good of others, takes precedence over all the other commandments (cf. note on Matthew 12:3-8). If rules are given precedence in a blind sort of way over the inescapable obligations of justice and charity, the result is fanaticism, which always goes against the Gospel and even against right reason—as happens in this instance with the Pharisees. Their minds are so closed that they do not want to see God’s hand in something which simply could not be done without divine power. The dilemma they pose themselves—is He a man of God, as His miracles imply; or a sinner, because He does not keep the Sabbath (cf. Mark 3:23-30)?—can only arise in people whose outlook is that of religious fanatics. Their mistaken interpretation of how certain precepts should be kept leads them to forget the essence of the Law—love of God and love of neighbor.
To avoid accepting Jesus’ divinity, the Pharisees reject the only possible correct interpretation of the miracle; whereas the blind man—like all unprejudiced people open to the truth—finds solid grounds in the miracle for confessing that Christ works through the power of God (John 9:33): “He supported and confirmed His preaching by miracles to arouse faith of His hearers and give them assurance, but not to coerce them” (Vatican II, “Dignitatis Humanae”, 11).
24. “Give God the praise”: a solemn declaration, like an oath, exhorting a person to tell the truth. But the Pharisees are not looking for the truth: they want to intimidate the man to get him to withdraw his statement. They try to pressurize him by warning him: “We know this Man is a sinner”. St. Augustine comments: “What do they mean, Give God the praise? They mean, deny what you have received. Clearly, this is not to give God the praise, but rather to blaspheme against God” (”In Ioann. Evang.”, 44, 11).
25-34. This interrogation shows that the miracle was so patent that not even His enemies could deny it. Our Lord worked many miracles during His public ministry, showing that He had complete power over everything, in other words that He was divine.
Rationalism, basing itself on an erroneous philosophical principle, refuses to accept that God can intervene in a supernatural way in this world; it therefore denies the possibility of miracles: but the Church has always taught that miracles do happen and that they serve a purpose: “If any one shall say that miracles are impossible, and therefore all the accounts regarding them, even those contained in Holy Scripture, are to be dismissed as fabulous or mythical; or that miracles can never be known with certainty, and that the divine origin of Christianity cannot be proved by them—let him be “anathema” (Vatican I, “Dei Filius”, Chapter 3, and Canon 4).
29. Everyone saw the miracle, but the Pharisees are so stubborn that they will not accept the significance of the event, not even after questioning the man himself and his parents. “The sin of the Pharisees did not consist in not seeing God in Christ, but in voluntarily shutting themselves up within themselves, in not letting Jesus, who is the light, open their eyes” ([St] J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 71).
As this episode proceeds, the faith of the man himself deepens. He begins by recognizing Jesus as a prophet (verse 17) and he ends up acknowledging His divinity (verse 35); whereas over the same course of events the authorities become more and more obstinate—moving from doubt (verse 16), through the blasphemous assertion that Jesus is a sinner, to eventually expelling the beggar (verse 34)—a useful warning about the danger of pride which can blind one to the obvious.
34. After the Babylonian exile (sixth century B.C.), a Jewish custom developed of expelling from the synagogue those who had committed certain crimes. This took two forms—temporary expulsion for thirty days as a disciplinary measure, and permanent expulsion, which later was often imposed on Jews who became Christians. What is being referred to here is probably permanent expulsion, which was what was planned (verse 22) and which is noted elsewhere in the Gospels (cf. 12:42; 16:2; Luke 6:22).
35-38. This does not seem to have been an accidental meeting. The Pharisees have cast the man out of the synagogue; our Lord not only receives him but helps him make an act of faith in His divinity: “Now with the face of his heart washed and with his conscience cleansed, he acknowledges Him to be not only the Son of Man but Son of God” (St. Augustine, “In Ioann. Evang.”, 44, 15). This dialogue reminds us of Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman (cf. John 4:26).
39. This judgment which our Lord pronounces follows on the act of faith of the man who has been cured, and the persistent obstinacy of the Pharisees. He has not come to condemn the world but to save it (cf. John 3:17), but His presence among us already involves a judgment, because each of us has to take a stand on whether to reject or accept Jesus. Christ’s coming implies the fall of some and the salvation of others (cf. Luke 2:34). In this sense, we will fall into one of two categories (cf. John 3:18-21; 12:47-48): on the one hand, the humble of heart (cf. Matthew 11:25), who recognize their failings and who go to Jesus in search of forgiveness (these will receive the light He is speaking of); on the other hand, those who are satisfied with themselves and think that they do not need Christ or His word (they say they see but they are blind). Thus we ourselves decide our ultimate fate, depending on whether
we accept or reject Jesus.
40-41. Jesus’ words sting the Pharisees, who are always looking to catch Him out in something He says. They realize that He is referring to them and they ask Him, “Are we also blind?” Jesus’ answer is quite clear: they can see but they do not want to: therefore they are unworthy. “If you realized you were blind, if you admitted you were blind and ran to the physician, you would have no sin, for I have come to take away sin; but because you say that you can see, you remain in your blindness” (St. Augustine, “In Ioann. Evang.”, 45, 17).
Liturgical Colour: Rose or Violet.
| First reading |
|---|
| 1 Samuel 16:1,6-7,10-13 © |
| Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 22(23) © |
|---|
| Second reading |
|---|
| Ephesians 5:8-14 © |
| Gospel Acclamation | Jn8:12 |
|---|
| Gospel | John 9:1-41 © |
|---|
| John | |||
| English: Douay-Rheims | Latin: Vulgata Clementina | Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000) | |
| John 9 |
|||
| 1. | AND Jesus passing by, saw a man, who was blind from his birth: | Et præteriens Jesus vidit hominem cæcum a nativitate : | και παραγων ειδεν ανθρωπον τυφλον εκ γενετης |
| 2. | And his disciples asked him: Rabbi, who hath sinned, this man, or his parents, that he should be born blind? | et interrogaverunt eum discipuli ejus : Rabbi, quis peccavit, hic, aut parentes ejus, ut cæcus nasceretur ? | και ηρωτησαν αυτον οι μαθηται αυτου λεγοντες ραββι τις ημαρτεν ουτος η οι γονεις αυτου ινα τυφλος γεννηθη |
| 3. | Jesus answered: Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents; but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. | Respondit Jesus : Neque hic peccavit, neque parentes ejus : sed ut manifestentur opera Dei in illo. | απεκριθη ιησους ουτε ουτος ημαρτεν ουτε οι γονεις αυτου αλλ ινα φανερωθη τα εργα του θεου εν αυτω |
| 4. | I must work the works of him that sent me, whilst it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. | Me oportet operari opera ejus qui misit me, donec dies est : venit nox, quando nemo potest operari : | εμε δει εργαζεσθαι τα εργα του πεμψαντος με εως ημερα εστιν ερχεται νυξ οτε ουδεις δυναται εργαζεσθαι |
| 5. | As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. | quamdiu sum in mundo, lux sum mundi. | οταν εν τω κοσμω ω φως ειμι του κοσμου |
| 6. | When he had said these things, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and spread the clay on his eyes, | Hæc cum dixisset, exspuit in terram, et fecit lutum ex sputo, et linivit lutum super oculos ejus, | ταυτα ειπων επτυσεν χαμαι και εποιησεν πηλον εκ του πτυσματος και επεχρισεν τον πηλον επι τους οφθαλμους του τυφλου |
| 7. | And said to him: Go, wash in the pool of Siloe, which is interpreted, Sent. He went therefore, and washed, and he came seeing. | et dixit ei : Vade, lava in natatoria Siloë (quod interpretatur Missus). Abiit ergo, et lavit, et venit videns. | και ειπεν αυτω υπαγε νιψαι εις την κολυμβηθραν του σιλωαμ ο ερμηνευεται απεσταλμενος απηλθεν ουν και ενιψατο και ηλθεν βλεπων |
| 8. | The neighbours therefore, and they who had seen him before that he was a beggar, said: Is not this he that sat and begged? Some said: This is he. | Itaque vicini, et qui viderant eum prius quia mendicus erat, dicebant : Nonne hic est qui sedebat, et mendicabat ? Alii dicebant : Quia hic est. | οι ουν γειτονες και οι θεωρουντες αυτον το προτερον οτι τυφλος ην ελεγον ουχ ουτος εστιν ο καθημενος και προσαιτων |
| 9. | But others said: No, but he is like him. But he said: I am he. | Alii autem : Nequaquam, sed similis est ei. Ille vero dicebat : Quia ego sum. | αλλοι ελεγον οτι ουτος εστιν αλλοι δε οτι ομοιος αυτω εστιν εκεινος ελεγεν οτι εγω ειμι |
| 10. | They said therefore to him: How were thy eyes opened? | Dicebant ergo ei : Quomodo aperti sunt tibi oculi ? | ελεγον ουν αυτω πως ανεωχθησαν σου οι οφθαλμοι |
| 11. | He answered: That man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me: Go to the pool of Siloe, and wash. And I went, I washed, and I see. | Respondit : Ille homo qui dicitur Jesus, lutum fecit : et unxit oculos meos, et dixit mihi : Vade ad natatoria Siloë, et lava. Et abii, et lavi, et video. | απεκριθη εκεινος και ειπεν ανθρωπος λεγομενος ιησους πηλον εποιησεν και επεχρισεν μου τους οφθαλμους και ειπεν μοι υπαγε εις την κολυμβηθραν του σιλωαμ και νιψαι απελθων δε και νιψαμενος ανεβλεψα |
| 12. | And they said to him: Where is he? He saith: I know not. | Et dixerunt ei : Ubi est ille ? Ait : Nescio. | ειπον ουν αυτω που εστιν εκεινος λεγει ουκ οιδα |
| 13. | They bring him that had been blind to the Pharisees. | Adducunt eum ad pharisæos, qui cæcus fuerat. | αγουσιν αυτον προς τους φαρισαιους τον ποτε τυφλον |
| 14. | Now it was the sabbath, when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. | Erat autem sabbatum quando lutum fecit Jesus, et aperuit oculos ejus. | ην δε σαββατον οτε τον πηλον εποιησεν ο ιησους και ανεωξεν αυτου τους οφθαλμους |
| 15. | Again therefore the Pharisees asked him, how he had received his sight. But he said to them: He put clay upon my eyes, and I washed, and I see. | Iterum ergo interrogabant eum pharisæi quomodo vidisset. Ille autem dixit eis : Lutum mihi posuit super oculos, et lavi, et video. | παλιν ουν ηρωτων αυτον και οι φαρισαιοι πως ανεβλεψεν ο δε ειπεν αυτοις πηλον επεθηκεν μου επι τους οφθαλμους και ενιψαμην και βλεπω |
| 16. | Some therefore of the Pharisees said: This man is not of God, who keepeth not the sabbath. But others said: How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. | Dicebant ergo ex pharisæis quidam : Non est hic homo a Deo, qui sabbatum non custodit. Alii autem dicebant : Quomodo potest homo peccator hæc signa facere ? Et schisma erat inter eos. | ελεγον ουν εκ των φαρισαιων τινες ουτος ο ανθρωπος ουκ εστιν παρα του θεου οτι το σαββατον ου τηρει αλλοι ελεγον πως δυναται ανθρωπος αμαρτωλος τοιαυτα σημεια ποιειν και σχισμα ην εν αυτοις |
| 17. | They say therefore to the blind man again: What sayest thou of him that hath opened they eyes? And he said: He is a prophet. | Dicunt ergo cæco iterum : Tu quid dicis de illo qui aperuit oculos tuos ? Ille autem dixit : Quia propheta est. | λεγουσιν τω τυφλω παλιν συ τι λεγεις περι αυτου οτι ηνοιξεν σου τους οφθαλμους ο δε ειπεν οτι προφητης εστιν |
| 18. | The Jews then did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and had received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight, | Non crediderunt ergo Judæi de illo, quia cæcus fuisset et vidisset, donec vocaverunt parentes ejus, qui viderat : | ουκ επιστευσαν ουν οι ιουδαιοι περι αυτου οτι τυφλος ην και ανεβλεψεν εως οτου εφωνησαν τους γονεις αυτου του αναβλεψαντος |
| 19. | And asked them, saying: Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then doth he now see? | et interrogaverunt eos, dicentes : Hic est filius vester, quem vos dicitis quia cæcus natus est ? quomodo ergo nunc videt ? | και ηρωτησαν αυτους λεγοντες ουτος εστιν ο υιος υμων ον υμεις λεγετε οτι τυφλος εγεννηθη πως ουν αρτι βλεπει |
| 20. | His parents answered them, and said: We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: | Responderunt eis parentes ejus, et dixerunt : Scimus quia hic est filius noster, et quia cæcus natus est : | απεκριθησαν δε αυτοις οι γονεις αυτου και ειπον οιδαμεν οτι ουτος εστιν ο υιος ημων και οτι τυφλος εγεννηθη |
| 21. | But how he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: ask himself: he is of age, let him speak for himself. | quomodo autem nunc videat, nescimus : aut quis ejus aperuit oculos, nos nescimus ; ipsum interrogate : ætatem habet, ipse de se loquatur. | πως δε νυν βλεπει ουκ οιδαμεν η τις ηνοιξεν αυτου τους οφθαλμους ημεις ουκ οιδαμεν αυτος ηλικιαν εχει αυτον ερωτησατε αυτος περι εαυτου λαλησει |
| 22. | These things his parents said, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had already agreed among themselves, that if any man should confess him to be Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. | Hæc dixerunt parentes ejus, quoniam timebant Judæos : jam enim conspiraverunt Judæi, ut si quis eum confiteretur esse Christum, extra synagogam fieret. | ταυτα ειπον οι γονεις αυτου οτι εφοβουντο τους ιουδαιους ηδη γαρ συνετεθειντο οι ιουδαιοι ινα εαν τις αυτον ομολογηση χριστον αποσυναγωγος γενηται |
| 23. | Therefore did his parents say: He is of age, ask himself. | Propterea parentes ejus dixerunt : Quia ætatem habet, ipsum interrogate. | δια τουτο οι γονεις αυτου ειπον οτι ηλικιαν εχει αυτον ερωτησατε |
| 24. | They therefore called the man again that had been blind, and said to him: Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner. | Vocaverunt ergo rursum hominem qui fuerat cæcus, et dixerunt ei : Da gloriam Deo : nos scimus quia hic homo peccator est. | εφωνησαν ουν εκ δευτερου τον ανθρωπον ος ην τυφλος και ειπον αυτω δος δοξαν τω θεω ημεις οιδαμεν οτι ο ανθρωπος ουτος αμαρτωλος εστιν |
| 25. | He said therefore to them: If he be a sinner, I know not: one thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see. | Dixit ergo eis ille : si peccator est, nescio ; unum scio, quia cæcus cum essem, modo video. | απεκριθη ουν εκεινος και ειπεν ει αμαρτωλος εστιν ουκ οιδα εν οιδα οτι τυφλος ων αρτι βλεπω |
| 26. | They said then to him: What did he to thee? How did he open thy eyes? | Dixerunt ergo illi : Quid fecit tibi ? quomodo aperuit tibi oculos ? | ειπον δε αυτω παλιν τι εποιησεν σοι πως ηνοιξεν σου τους οφθαλμους |
| 27. | He answered them: I have told you already, and you have heard: why would you hear it again? will you also become his disciples? | Respondit eis : Dixi vobis jam, et audistis : quod iterum vultis audire ? numquid et vos vultis discipuli ejus fieri ? | απεκριθη αυτοις ειπον υμιν ηδη και ουκ ηκουσατε τι παλιν θελετε ακουειν μη και υμεις θελετε αυτου μαθηται γενεσθαι |
| 28. | They reviled him therefore, and said: Be thou his disciple; but we are the disciples of Moses. | Maledixerunt ergo ei, et dixerunt : Tu discipulus illius sis : nos autem Moysi discipuli sumus. | ελοιδορησαν αυτον και ειπον συ ει μαθητης εκεινου ημεις δε του μωσεως εσμεν μαθηται |
| 29. | We know that God spoke to Moses: but as to this man, we know not from whence he is. | Nos scimus quia Moysi locutus est Deus ; hunc autem nescimus unde sit. | ημεις οιδαμεν οτι μωση λελαληκεν ο θεος τουτον δε ουκ οιδαμεν ποθεν εστιν |
| 30. | The man answered, and said to them: Why, herein is a wonderful thing, that you know not from whence he is, and he hath opened my eyes. | Respondit ille homo, et dixit eis : In hoc enim mirabile est quia vos nescitis unde sit, et aperuit meos oculos : | απεκριθη ο ανθρωπος και ειπεν αυτοις εν γαρ τουτω θαυμαστον εστιν οτι υμεις ουκ οιδατε ποθεν εστιν και ανεωξεν μου τους οφθαλμους |
| 31. | Now we know that God doth not hear sinners: but if a man be a server of God, and doth his will, him he heareth. | scimus autem quia peccatores Deus non audit : sed si quis Dei cultor est, et voluntatem ejus facit, hunc exaudit. | οιδαμεν δε οτι αμαρτωλων ο θεος ουκ ακουει αλλ εαν τις θεοσεβης η και το θελημα αυτου ποιη τουτου ακουει |
| 32. | From the beginning of the world it hath not been heard, that any man hath opened the eyes of one born blind. | A sæculo non est auditum quia quis aperuit oculos cæci nati. | εκ του αιωνος ουκ ηκουσθη οτι ηνοιξεν τις οφθαλμους τυφλου γεγεννημενου |
| 33. | Unless this man were of God, he could not do any thing. | Nisi esset hic a Deo, non poterat facere quidquam. | ει μη ην ουτος παρα θεου ουκ ηδυνατο ποιειν ουδεν |
| 34. | They answered, and said to him: Thou wast wholly born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. | Responderunt, et dixerunt ei : In peccatis natus es totus, et tu doces nos ? Et ejecerunt eum foras. | απεκριθησαν και ειπον αυτω εν αμαρτιαις συ εγεννηθης ολος και συ διδασκεις ημας και εξεβαλον αυτον εξω |
| 35. | Jesus heard that they had cast him out: and when he had found him, he said to him: Dost thou believe in the Son of God? | Audivit Jesus quia ejecerunt eum foras : et cum invenisset eum, dixit ei : Tu credis in Filium Dei ? | ηκουσεν ο ιησους οτι εξεβαλον αυτον εξω και ευρων αυτον ειπεν αυτω συ πιστευεις εις τον υιον του θεου |
| 36. | He answered, and said: Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him? | Respondit ille, et dixit : Quis est, Domine, ut credam in eum ? | απεκριθη εκεινος και ειπεν και τις εστιν κυριε ινα πιστευσω εις αυτον |
| 37. | And Jesus said to him: Thou hast both seen him; and it is he that talketh with thee. | Et dixit ei Jesus : Et vidisti eum, et qui loquitur tecum, ipse est. | ειπεν δε αυτω ο ιησους και εωρακας αυτον και ο λαλων μετα σου εκεινος εστιν |
| 38. | And he said: I believe, Lord. And falling down, he adored him. | At ille ait : Credo, Domine. Et procidens adoravit eum. | ο δε εφη πιστευω κυριε και προσεκυνησεν αυτω |
| 39. | And Jesus said: For judgment I am come into this world; that they who see not, may see; and they who see, may become blind. | Et dixit Jesus : In judicium ego in hunc mundum veni : ut qui non vident videant, et qui vident cæci fiant. | και ειπεν ο ιησους εις κριμα εγω εις τον κοσμον τουτον ηλθον ινα οι μη βλεποντες βλεπωσιν και οι βλεποντες τυφλοι γενωνται |
| 40. | And some of the Pharisees, who were with him, heard: and they said unto him: Are we also blind? | Et audierunt quidam ex pharisæis qui cum ipso erant, et dixerunt ei : Numquid et nos cæci sumus ? | και ηκουσαν εκ των φαρισαιων ταυτα οι οντες μετ αυτου και ειπον αυτω μη και ημεις τυφλοι εσμεν |
| 41. | Jesus said to them: If you were blind, you should not have sin: but now you say: We see. Your sin remaineth. | Dixit eis Jesus : Si cæci essetis, non haberetis peccatum. Nunc vero dicitis, Quia videmus : peccatum vestrum manet. | ειπεν αυτοις ο ιησους ει τυφλοι ητε ουκ αν ειχετε αμαρτιαν νυν δε λεγετε οτι βλεπομεν η ουν αμαρτια υμων μενει |
God Bless for these posts. So blessed to have during this pandemic.
Instead of finding commonality and unity, as Jesus would probably want, he insists on listening to Satan and spend his PRECIOUS time on earth deriding Jesus’ 2000-year-old Catholic (means “universal”) Church and His earthly Vicar of Christ, the Pope (which comes from the Italian “papa,” father).
You MIGHT even think that he would SHARE the joy of his own faith, some brand of Protestantism. Protestants haven’t duties to perform. They don’t have to attend Church on Sundays, not even on Christmas and Easter. They have few, sacraments and those can vary from one Protestant denomination to another. They can marry, divorce, remarry, divorce…whatever they want, a la Henry VIII. They are even allowed to “marry” persons of the same gender.
I don’t degrade HIS faith, whatever that is, but he feels that he must say the nastiest, meanest things about the Church that Jesus founded and about His Vicar on earth, the Pope. That is abysmally sad. It’s pathetic. In fact, I think he “protests too much.” (Shakespeare)
If Jesus’ Church were so bad there would NOT be 1.2 billion Roman Catholics in this world.
There are millions of Protestants also but they are scattered throughout in many different denominations. One would SUPPOSE that if Protestants were serious about their faith, they would have ALREADY compiled some sort of catechism to explain their faith to their children and to the world. They might even have tried to UNITE themselves somehow to broaden their conversion base.
https://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/religion/christian/denominations
New subject:
The ETERNAL WORLD TELEVISION NETWORK, EWTN, was founded by Mother Angelica. She passed away not too long ago.
She believed that our glorious faith HAD to go global on television. The station is a huge success. They also broadcast daily Mass from their base home town. THAT is a blessing indeed for the home-bound Catholics who do NOT want to miss Mass. There are also books and religious articles (crucifixes, rosaries, books and such) for people to purchase.
I watched and prayed along with a rosary recited at the Grotto of Lourdes this morning, in France. Naturally it was led by a priest. It seems to happen daily. I’ll keep watching. Public prayer…it’s wonderful.
Jesus said that HERETICS would rise out of the world but that the “gates of hell would NOT prevail” against them or His Church. However, sad to say, an occasional heretic arises here on our own site. He must be a very TORMENTED soul who MUST rail and storm again Jesus’ own FIRST-ESTABLISHED Catholic Church.
Someone who is secure and content in his own faith does NOT rail against the faith of others. To judge others about faith in God is NOT that poster's decision. That decision belongs to our good Lord in Heaven. HE will deal with His “problem children.”
Oh dear, Salvation, this poor soul really needs our prayers, doesn’t he? Lol. I don’t WANNA pray for him. He’s just so … oh, never mind, you get my drift. I know, I’ll ask one of my favorite priests to pray for him. Hmmm, I’ll have to think about that one.
I don’t even know what branch of Protestantism he embraces. It can’t be a faith branch that justifies his vitriol against Jesus’ Catholic Church, the FIRST Christian Church in history.
Thank you for stopping by.
Pray for Pope Francis.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.