Blindness

Jesus said to (the Pharisees) “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now you say ‘We see’, your sin remains” (John 9:41).

            When I was a boy, my best friend loved crossword puzzles. Although he became good at solving them, my friend admitted his biggest problem was overconfidence about certain answers. His first response to a clue made sense and had the right number of letters. Yet, as he worked on the adjacent clues, no correct answer seemed possible. It frequently took him a long time before he realized his first answer was wrong. Clearly, some ideas can become so fixed in our minds we are blind to other possibilities.

            In this text from John, Jesus tells some Pharisees their response to a miracle performed on a Sabbath reveals they do not see God working through it. By doing so, he indicates the cause of spiritual blindness is sin.

            Within the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament the term “blindness” was used to describe a number of temporary or permanent conditions which resulted in the loss of physical sight. It was often caused by cataracts, senility or infections associated with poor hygiene. Since the condition made one dependent upon others it was considered a personal disaster. Although the Jewish Law forbid anyone from putting an obstacle before a blind person, it also prohibited him or her from entering the Jerusalem Temple. Blind priests were unable to exercise their ministry and animals with that condition could not be offered in sacrifice. Blindness was a punishment imposed on the disobedient by God. When Lot was confronted by the men of Sodom, the divine response was to blind them. For Jews, God alone made people blind and restored their sight. Anyone born blind suffered from God’s disfavor.

            John account of Christ’s healing of the blind man showed that spiritual blindness could be as debilitating as its physical counterpart. The disciples’ assumption the man born blind or an ancestor had sinned was a traditional way of looking at the situation. They were unable to see it as an opportunity to reveal God’s mercy. The Pharisees rejected the possibility the healing of the blind man was an act of God because it happened on the Sabbath. In their mind, God never acted beyond their interpretation of the Law. The reaction of the parents of the blind man to the healing was to distance themselves from him because they feared rejection by the community. They were unable to see the depth of God’s concern for their son. All three groups placed their expectations above those of someone in need and God’s desire to respond to it. By being closed from God due to their sin, they had developed spiritual blindness.

            Lent is the season which can help us recognize the causes of our spiritual blindness. Fear is a common feeling among people in our present society. They are anxious about the possibility of a terrorist attack, the collapse of world financial markets or the effects of global warming on the environment. Although such fears are understandable, they could also prevent us from seeing life as a gift from God. Many of us do not have to worry about being killed by a suicide bomber, spending our entire daily wage on the food required to feed our families or live with the chance an earthquake could destroy our homes in a matter of seconds. Our physical and material security and environment are gifts from God. We should be grateful for them and ready to ensure others have access to them. When we make judgments about why others don’t have or deserve them or are afraid to speak up in their defense, we indicate our blindness to the goodness and generosity of God towards us.

            During Lent, Catholics can diminish their spiritual blindness by giving thanks whenever they eat or drink something. We usually offer thanks before we sit down for a meal at home but what about when we eat in a restaurant or stop for coffee at Tim Horton’s. Is our thanks offered so quickly we do not listen to the words spoken? All we have is a gift from God. Developing this habit might lead to giving thanks at other times like arriving safely after a journey or receiving a positive result on a medical test. Our lives are not an obstacle course to navigate or a puzzle to be solved but an opportunity to see how God’s providence touches our lives every day. Yes, we face challenges and endure sufferings as well but through them we discover how much we depend on God’s help to keep going. Our first response to these trials may prevent us from perceiving how they fit into God’s plan. May our attitude of gratitude help us overcome this spiritual blindness.

            As my friend taught me many years ago, first responses can easily become fixed in our mind and remain there for a long time. Yet, sometimes they prevent us from seeing what is really occurring around us. By being open to other possibilities, we are more likely to perceive the full picture.

March 19, 2023