We live and share His Vision
In this Fourth Sunday of Lent Gospel, as in last Sunday we hear of a reversal of images and symbols. Last week the woman at the well-used light to hide her darkness, and Jesus healed her darkness with his light. Today we come upon a man who wants to see, and Jesus makes a mud to bring sight to the man. The Pharisees prefer the darkness— or worse yet, believe they see correctly and those who do not follow them have wrong vision. However, the man’s faith, his divine inner vision, becomes clearer as the story unfolds. Whereas faith of the Pharisees and scribes becomes muddier ending as the ones in darkness—blind to the Light of the Savior/God—self-righteously believing they see better than anyone else.
The journey of the blind man includes steps of faith and risk; he tells his neighbors that the one who healed him was the man called Jesus. Then he is questioned by the Pharisees at two separate times and they proclaim that this Jesus is a sinner, but the man stands up for the Lord, risking death. He says Jesus has done something never heard of before and must have an intimate relationship to God. The man is thrown out of the synagogue, excommunicated from his religion.
We hear of him during his second meeting with Jesus and the Lord asks him if he believes. The man falls down and worships the Lord. Spiritually and physically, he goes from blindness to the light of faith.
In the same way, we have the ability to choose light or darkness. This might seem like an easy choice, but in reality, with the bombardment of the distortion of truth in all forms of the media, many believe it is safer to remain in the dark—ignorance may rationalize away being responsible. If some choose to remain in the dark, they don’t have to learn what really happens during and after an abortion. While many choose to say that a fetus is nothing more than an accumulation of cells not a human, the heart starts to beat in 7 weeks or less.
What really happens in the plight of illegal immigrants and their families? Have we forgotten how the majority of our families first arrived to our nation and how hard they had to work?
If people choose to remain in the dark, they don’t have to be bothered with deciding on the morality of states like ours put to death criminals rather than alternative punishment that are less costly to tax papers, and morally right. Or admit that addiction is a disease not a crime and stop building prisoner labor camps that are money makers and tax deductions for big industry built on the illness of 80% of the prison population in a state where more is spent on jails, prisons and juvenile halls than on education.
When we live in the Lord’s vision and light we understand that we are morally responsible to help others including the 25 million in our country that go to bed hungry every day and many are innocent children. We act in Christ.
What can I do I’m just one person? Our various Catholic ministries and services locally and throughout the world support all levels of life that is at risk, with our charities, funds, and volunteers. Life and its sacredness are at issue in our nation and in the world on so many levels, and we do not choose selective vision.
Christ calls us to light; to bring into the open that which is hidden and be educated, educate others and respond. He calls us to living our faith in the stewardship of our sacred environment and eliminating excessive consumption; it should not take a long term drought to teach us to be responsible for the gift of water.
Christ calls us into light by being open to our responsibilities towards our country, to return it to morality in decision making, and peace, and to work for the oppressed. Casting a ballot does not complete our responsibilities to our nation, its people and God.
God’s justice and peace, begins in our homes, with our children, families and into the workplace. Letting Jesus’ light enter into our dark places that need healing and forgiveness builds a stronger unity in families and sharing our truth with each other–empowerment.
Jesus proclaimed to us, his disciples, “You are the light of the World. Let your light shine before men and women so they might see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
Let’s live and witness His light, Fr. Gordon