John 9:1-12
“Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him.’” vs. 3
The disciples were pretty convinced that the beggar’s blindness was because of sin, either his own or his parents. It’s not an unusual notion. Often we hear that people are to blame for their own wretched conditions, that if only they or their parents had made better decisions, life would be good for them. Some folks have an innate need to find causes for the way things are, to somehow explain inequities by pinning the blame on the victim. Jesus rejects that notion. There’s a certain randomness at work in our world and a good deal of mystery connected with misfortune. Some feel his words imply that God caused the man’s blindness, but there’s another way to see it, one that is more consistent with our view of a loving and merciful God. From this perspective the blindness becomes an occasion for revelation of a greater good. We find this happening again and again in this world of accidents and tragedy. Something awful happens…a child dies, a spine is severed, cancer strikes…and it becomes a moment for the celebration of God’s presence and a triumph of the human spirit. These are the Facebook stories that bring tears to our eyes and that awaken us to the precious gift of life that we share. It isn’t good that the awful thing has happened…but the response of the faithful can be awesome and inspiring.
Thought for the Day: How can blessings arise from a moment of tragedy?
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