26 & 27.

At that time, Jesus, passing by, saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, Rabbi, who has sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind? Jesus answered, Neither has this man sinned, nor his parents, but the works of God were to be made manifest in him. I must do the works of Him Who sent Me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world I am the light of the world. When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the spittle, and spread the clay over his eyes, and said to him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloe – which is interpreted ‘Sent’. – So he went away, and washed, and returned seeing. The neighbors therefore and they who were wont to see him before as a beggar, began saying, Is not this he who used to sit and beg? Some said, It is he. But others said, By no means, he only resembles him. Yet the man declared, I am he. They therefore said to him, How were your eyes opened? He answered, The man who is called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloe and wash.’ And I went and washed, and I see. And they said to him, Where is He? He said, I do not know. They took him who had been blind to the Pharisees. Now it was a Sabbath on which Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Again, therefore, the Pharisees asked him how he received his sight. But he said to them, He put clay upon my eyes, and I washed, and I see. Therefore 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 work these signs? And there was a division among them. Again therefore they said to the blind man, What you say of Him Who opened your eyes? But he said, He is a prophet. The Jews therefore did not believe of him that he had been blind and had got his sight, until they called the parents of the one who had gained his sight, and questioned them, saying, Is this your son, of whom you say that he was born blind? How then does he now see? His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we ourselves do not know. Ask him; he is of age, let him speak for himself. These things his parents said because they feared the Jews. For already the Jews had agreed that if anyone were to confess Him to be the Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. This is why his parents said, He is of age; question him. They therefore called a second time the man who had been blind, and said to him, Give glory to God! We ourselves know that this man is a sinner. He therefore said, Whether He is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know, that whereas I was blind, now I see. They therefore said to him, What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes? He answered them, I have told you already, and you have heard. Why would you hear again? Would you also become His disciples? They heaped abuse on him therefore, and said, You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God spoke to Moses; but as for this man, we do not know where He is from. In answer the man said to them, Why, herein is the marvel, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshipper of God, and does His will, him He hears. Not from the beginning of the world has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing. They answered and said to him, You were altogether born in sins, and do you teach us? And they turned him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and when He had found him, said to him, Do you believe in the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him? And Jesus said to him, You have both seen Him, and He it is Who speaks with you. And he said, I believe, Lord.  And falling down, he worshipped Him.

John 9:1-38

The passion is hinted here, like faint wisps fragrance.

Why is Jesus a threat to those invested in the old ways?

Why is the question who sinned, the blind man or his parents?

Why is blindness associated with sin?

The blind man is turned away by the priests. These are the carriers of the old law and tradition.

When we become transformed, those around us may question because they fear what they do not understand, or the transformation may in some way rock the boat.

We may be called and be afraid of that transformation we witness.

We are walking closer and closer to the Passion now. In your days, be mindful of small blessings.

Be mindful of small moments when you are frustrated, or tired, or angry, or upset.

Bring them forward in the examine at the end of your day, and ask for forgiveness.

Allow God to show you moments where Love is needed, needs to be present.

26 & 27.

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