Dear Brothers and Sisters,
In our series on Christian Atheists this Lent we have been hearing how easy it is to doubt God’s love and at times even his existence. We are bombarded with this way of thinking constantly in our secular society, and often we find it difficult to make room for prayer in our busy lives. Last week we heard how worrying and grumbling can take away our peace and then it is more effective to do what we can and then trust that God will provide for us.
This weekend we take a look at another aspect of Christian Atheism in one of its most widespread forms, perhaps the saddest aspect of the way a Christian Catholic lives today. It is the tendency for many who say they believe in God but they do not know him. They may know about him but there is no relationship with him. In marriage or in any relationship with others when one does not know the other person or understand them they drift apart. This unfortunately happens in many marriages or with friends from high school or college, and even with parents and siblings. You may have a lot of theological knowledge of God from your time in Catholic schools or from your parents but you may not know him or how he acts in your life. Or perhaps you grew up with a very insufficient formation in faith and were always told God is love and butterflies and that’s all you know.
If any of these possibilities are true or something similar to them then the gospel this week (John 9: 1-41) can be a huge help for us. We hear about a man born blind and the disciples ask who sinned, he or his parents? And Jesus corrects them saying that neither one sinned but his blindness is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. Jesus spat and made mud and put it on his eyes and he was told to go wash in the pool. He went to wash and was able to see. Often in life we need an irritation to in order to be enlightened about the action of God in our life. Mud on a blind man’s eyes was very painful.
Then he was brought to the Pharisees who are upset because the miracle was done on the Sabbath and they asked the man how this happened. The blind man said this ‘man’ put clay on my eyes and now I can see. However, the Pharisees do not accept this since if he were a man of God he would not have done the miracle on the Sabbath. The dialogue continues and each time the man speaks he refers to Jesus next as a prophet, and then as disciple, a believer who confesses that Christ is the Messiah. The Pharisees are totally blinded by their prejudice against Jesus, and in contrast this man grows in his love for him. We too can be blind to Jesus Christ in our life and hopefully this gospel will open our eyes.
This gospel is about a Christian, you and me, who is enlightened by Baptism and confesses Christ as the Lord. You, by your baptism are called to do the same. Point to the facts that God is doing for you in your life, and leave the people free. It is not a matter of convincing them: you only need to say what God has done for you.
I would like to suggest to you three things. First, admit your blindness, which was something the Pharisees couldn’t do, and they were supposed to be helping people find the Messiah. Don’t get caught up in your plans, your agenda, and ask for light to see God in your life.
Second, the blind man listens and does what Jesus tells him. You should do the same when you hear something in a reading or in the preaching: do it. Do it right away before you forget. Then you will see the power of God. Lastly, make room for God in your daily life. The loneliness of this blind man helped him to listen. Disconnect from the world for ten minutes in the morning or the evening; make room for Him, so you can listen to what he wants to tell you. You will be amazed at what he does for you!