Note: Alternate readings used for Year A Scrutinies
are found below in a second section.
Catechism Links [1]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
Readings and Commentary: [4]
Reading 1: 2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23
Likewise all the princes of Judah, the priests, and
the people
added infidelity to
infidelity,
practicing all the
abominations of the nations
and polluting the LORD's
temple
which he had consecrated in
Jerusalem.
Early and often did the LORD,
the God of their fathers,
send his messengers to them,
for he had compassion on his
people and his dwelling place.
But they mocked the
messengers of God,
despised his warnings, and
scoffed at his prophets,
until the anger of the LORD
against his people was so inflamed
that there was no remedy.
Their enemies burnt the house
of God,
tore down the walls of
Jerusalem,
set all its palaces afire,
and destroyed all its
precious objects.
Those who escaped the sword
were carried captive to Babylon,
where they became servants of
the king of the Chaldeans and his sons
until the kingdom of the
Persians came to power.
All this was to fulfill the
word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah:
"Until the land has
retrieved its lost sabbaths,
during all the time it lies
waste it shall have rest
while seventy years are
fulfilled."
In the first year of Cyrus,
king of Persia,
in order to fulfill the word
of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah,
the LORD inspired King Cyrus
of Persia
to issue this proclamation
throughout his kingdom,
both by word of mouth and in
writing:
"Thus says Cyrus, king
of Persia:
All the kingdoms of the earth
the LORD, the God of heaven,
has given to me,
and he has also charged me to
build him a house
in Jerusalem, which is in
Judah.
Whoever, therefore, among you
belongs to any part of his people,
let him go up, and may his
God be with him!"
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on 2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23
In
this selection the Chronicler summarizes the last fifty-eight verses of Kings
and adds additional comment. The verses describe how the Hebrews violated God’s
law and were not contrite. They did not heed the warnings of Jeremiah the prophet
and as a consequence Jerusalem was sacked, the temple destroyed, and the people
sent exiled from the land God had given them, to Babylon. This condensed
account also describes how Jeremiah interceded on behalf of the people swaying
the king of Persia (Babylon), Cyrus, ending the exile.
These
events are mentioned elsewhere: “The words of these verses are identical with
those of Ezra
1:1-3a. Originally Ezra-Nehemiah formed the last part of the single work
of the Chronicler, of which 1 and 2 Chronicles formed the first part. But when
Ezra-Nehemiah was regarded as a natural sequence to the Books of Samuel and of
Kings, it was separated from 1 and 2 Chronicles and placed before them. Thus, 1
and 2 Chronicles became the last part of the Hebrew Bible. To prevent this work
from ending on a note of doom, Ezra 1:1-3a was
repeated as 2
Chronicles 36:22-23” [5]
CCC: 2 Chr 36:21 2172
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
R. (6ab) Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget
you!
By the streams of Babylon
we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion.
On the aspens of that land
we hung up our harps.
R. Let my tongue be
silenced, if I ever forget you!
For there our captors asked
of us
the lyrics of our songs,
And our despoilers urged us
to be joyous:
"Sing for us the songs
of Zion!"
R. Let my tongue be
silenced, if I ever forget you!
How could we sing a song of
the LORD
in a foreign land?
If I forget you, Jerusalem,
may my right hand be forgotten!
R. Let my tongue be
silenced, if I ever forget you!
May my tongue cleave to my
palate
if I remember you not,
If I place not Jerusalem
ahead of my joy.
R. Let my tongue be
silenced, if I ever forget you!
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
The sadness that
drove Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem to rebuild is reflected in this communal
lament. The people of God, dispersed throughout the region, recall the joys of
being in God’s presence in Zion (Jerusalem). We feel in this hymn our own anticipation
of being together in God’s presence as a community of faith.
-------------------------------------------
Reading II: Ephesians
2:4-10
But God, who is rich in
mercy,
because of the great love he
had for us,
even when we were dead in our
transgressions,
brought us to life with
Christ — by grace you have been saved —,
raised us up with him,
and seated us with him in the
heavens in Christ Jesus,
that in the ages to come
He might show the
immeasurable riches of his grace
in his kindness to us in
Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been
saved through faith,
and this is not from you; it
is the gift of God;
it is not from works, so no
one may boast.
For we are his handiwork,
created in Christ Jesus for the good works
that God has prepared in
advance,
that we should live in them.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Eph 2:4-10
St. Paul places
in sharp contrast the mercy and power of God and the weakness of the person. He
describes how, only out of his great mercy, God rescued mankind “dead in our
transgressions” though his Son, Jesus. The apostle describes the mechanism
by which salvation is bestowed “For by grace you have been saved through
faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God.” St. Paul also
provides a motive (though none is needed) for God’s creative act with the
statement that the Christian has been “created in Christ Jesus for the good
works.”
CCC: Eph 2:4-5 654; Eph 2:4 211, 1073; Eph 2:6 1003, 2796
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: John
3:14-21
"And just as Moses
lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be
lifted up,
so that everyone who believes
in him may have eternal life."
For God so loved the world
that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes
in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son
into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be
saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will
not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe
has already been condemned,
because he has not believed
in the name of the only Son of God.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the
world,
but people preferred darkness
to light,
because their works were
evil.
For everyone who does wicked
things hates the light
and does not come toward the
light,
so that his works might not
be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth
comes to the light,
so that his works may be
clearly seen as done in God.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 3:14-21
Jesus
tells Nicodemus that humanity will be saved when the Son of Man is lifted up on
the Cross. The passage continues as a monologue of the great profession of
Jesus’ relation as the only Son of God the Father and the redemptive mission
upon which he was sent. The reference at the beginning to Moses, and how he “lifted
up the serpent in the desert,” is referring to Numbers 21:4-9. The
incident in the desert is a corollary to God’s saving power, and St. John links
this to Christ’s crucifixion (“so must the Son of Man be lifted up”)
which has a double significance of his death and being raised to glory in the
resurrection. Both these words appear in Isaiah 52:13 to
describe the Servant of the Lord.
The
passage continues, clearly in the evangelist’s voice: “For God so loved the
world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not
perish but might have eternal life.” In doing so he provides “the only
explanation that we shall ever have of the gift of eternal life made possible
for us in the redemption achieved in Christ is the incredible love of God for
the world.” [6] Inasmuch as Christ has been sent into the world for its
salvation, failure to believe in that saving event is its own condemnation.
The
evangelist concludes this selection describing evildoers as children of
darkness who will not approach the light, which is Christ. On the other hand,
the one who "lives the truth" (this is an Old Testament
expression, see Genesis
24:49 and Ezekiel 18:9f) is
clearly visible as one who has faith in Christ, the redeemer.
CCC:
Jn 3:15 1033; Jn 3:16 219, 444, 454, 458,
706; Jn 3:17 2447; Jn 3:19-24 2845; Jn 3:19-20 208,
1781; Jn 3:21 2778
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
A
very good friend refers to Sundays during Lent as “Little Easters.” Indeed, that is what they are, for on these
days we take time out from our Lenten discipline to remember that Christ is
risen and we should all rejoice in that fact since it brings us life as well.
The
readings for today illustrate that fact in spades. Especially the Gospel from John gives us food
indeed. Jesus reminds us that his
mission is to come into the world to reveal God to all mankind, and through
that revelation, show us the way to live in God’s love so that we might share
in the New Covenant for which he is the seal and sacrifice.
When
he came to us, we did not know him. When
he called to us, we did not answer. It
was not until he had endured his terrible passion, suffering humiliation and
death and then, as he told us he would, rose from the dead, that we might
finally understand. And that
understanding needs to be revisited time and again. We, as said many times in Scripture, are a
stiff-necked and stubborn lot, easily lead astray.
Today,
however, we celebrate Christ, and him crucified.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his
only Son,
so that everyone who
believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal
life.”
(Jn 3, 16)
That
is our hope and our prayer. We remember
today that it is through Christ’s great love that the gates of heaven are
thrown open and God’s hand is extended to us.
Pax
________________________________________
Fourth Sunday of Lent (For
use with RCIA)
Catechism
Links 1
CCC 280, 529, 748, 1165, 2466, 2715:
Christ the light of the nations
CCC 439, 496, 559, 2616:
Jesus is the Son of David
CCC 1216:
baptism is illumination
CCC 782, 1243, 2105:
Christians are to be light of the world
Readings for the Fourth Sunday of Lent (A)
Readings and Commentary:
1
Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a
The Lord said to
Samuel:
“Fill your horn
with oil, and be on your way.
I am sending you
to Jesse of Bethlehem,
for I have chosen
my king from among his sons.”
As Jesse and his
sons came to the sacrifice,
Samuel looked at
Eliab and thought,
“Surely the
Lord’s anointed is here before him.”
But the Lord said
to Samuel:
“Do not judge
from his appearance or from his lofty stature,
because I have
rejected him.
Not as man sees
does God see,
because man sees
the appearance
but the Lord
looks into the heart.”
In the same way
Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel,
but Samuel said
to Jesse,
“The Lord has not
chosen any one of these.”
Then Samuel asked
Jesse,
“Are these all
the sons you have?”
Jesse replied,
“There is still
the youngest, who is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said to
Jesse,
“Send for him;
we will not begin
the sacrificial banquet until he arrives here.”
Jesse sent and
had the young man brought to them.
He was ruddy, a
youth handsome to behold
and making a
splendid appearance.
The Lord said,
“There—anoint
him, for this is the one!”
Then Samuel, with
the horn of oil in hand,
anointed David in
the presence of his brothers;
and from that day
on, the spirit of the Lord rushed upon David.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Sm 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a
The
story of Samuel the seer moves to the final section of First Book of Samuel (1
Samuel 16:1–31:13) Note, he is not yet referred to as a prophet, In this
passage, he is deeply troubled over God’s decision to remove Saul as king of
Israel. God sends Samuel to the house of Jesse in Bethlehem to anoint the next
king, whom God has now identified.
Samuel
looks upon the first seven of Jesse’s sons (a perfect number in Hebrew
numerology). The Lord finally instructs Samuel to anoint the youngest (eighth
son), David who is not present but is tending the sheep. It is important to
note that it is David is not a member of any ruling class, nor does he have any
lineage that would cause him to merit such honor, who is chosen by God to lead
the people of Israel. This emphasizes the fact that this divine call is not won
by human merit.
"The
grace and strength of heaven rushes upon David and raises him up as king. The
anointing of the Spirit is symbolized by pouring oil upon his head (Is 61:1) (CCC 695). From
that day: David enjoys an ongoing presence of the Spirit, unlike earlier
figures whose possession of the Spirit was intermittent and temporary (e.g.,
Saul, 10:6; 16:14; and
Samson, Judg
14:6, 19; 15:14; 16:20). • The
Spirit descending and abiding with David anticipates the Spirit coming down and
remaining on Jesus from the day of his anointing at the Jordan (Jn 1:32–33)."[7]
This
anointing is the first of three David will receive. The other two will come
after the death of Saul.
CCC:
1 Sm 16:1 436; 1 Sm 16:12-13 436; 1 Sm 16:13 695
-------------------------------------------
Psalm
23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is
nothing I shall want.
The Lord is my
shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant
pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful
waters he leads me;
he refreshes my
soul.
R. The Lord is
my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in
right paths
for his name’s
sake.
Even though I
walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil;
for you are at my side
With your rod and
your staff
that give me
courage.
R. The Lord is
my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the
table before me
in the sight of
my foes;
you anoint my
head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is
my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and
kindness follow me
all the days of
my life;
and I shall dwell
in the house of the Lord
for years to
come.
R. The Lord is
my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
Psalm
23 is probably the most quoted psalm in Holy Scripture and perhaps one of the
most commonly used of all the Scripture. It is both a song of praise and a
prayer in difficult times. The imagery of the Good Shepherd is also found in
the exodus (see Isaiah 40:11; 49:10; Jeremiah 31:10). It is used extensively in
both the Old Testament and the New Testament (see Ezekiel 34:11-16; John 10:11-18). [8]
The
reference in the third strophe above “You spread the table before me in the
sight of my foes” “occurs in an exodus context in Psalm 78:19. As my enemies watch: my
enemies see that I am God's friend and guest. Oil: a perfumed ointment made
from olive oil, used especially at banquets (Psalm 104:15; Matthew 26:7; Luke 7:37, 46; John 12:2).” [9]
CCC: Ps 23:5 1293
-------------------------------------------
Ephesians
5:8-14
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Eph 5:8-14
As
is typical in St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, the apostle uses language in
this passage that is almost liturgical or hymn-like, especially the last verse
(v. 14) which was probably taken from a hymn used at baptisms (compare
also Ephesians
2:5-6; 3:9 and Isaiah 60:1). He
proclaims that Christ, who is the light of truth to the world, has handed on
this light to his followers who, in their turn, are to live as children of the
light. (This passage is the justification for the modern baptismal prayer at
the presentation of the baptismal candle as well as foundational for the Easter
Candle.)
CCC:
Eph 5:8 1216,
1695; Eph 5:9 1695; Eph 5:14 2641
-------------------------------------------
John
9:1-41
As Jesus passed
by he saw a man blind from birth.
His disciples
asked him,
“Rabbi, who
sinned, this man or his parents,
that he was born
blind?”
Jesus answered,
“Neither he nor
his parents sinned;
it is so that the
works of God might be made visible through him.
We have to do the
works of the one who sent me while it is day.
Night is coming
when no one can work.
While I am in the
world, I am the light of the world.”
When he had said
this, he spat on the ground
and made clay
with the saliva,
and smeared the
clay on his eyes,
and said to him,
“Go wash in the
Pool of Siloam” —which means Sent—.
So he went and
washed, and came back able to see.
His neighbors and
those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said,
“Isn’t this the
one who used to sit and beg?”
Some said, “It
is, “
but others said,
“No, he just looks like him.”
He said, “I am.”
So they said to
him, “How were your eyes opened?”
He replied,
“The man called
Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes
and told me, ‘Go
to Siloam and wash.’
So I went there
and washed and was able to see.”
And they said to
him, “Where is he?”
He said, “I don’t
know.”
They brought the
one who was once blind to the Pharisees.
Now Jesus had
made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath.
So then the
Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see.
He said to them,
“He put clay on
my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.”
So some of the
Pharisees said,
“This man is not
from God,
because he does
not keep the sabbath.”
But others said,
“How can a sinful
man do such signs?”
And there was a
division among them.
So they said to
the blind man again,
“What do you have
to say about him,
since he opened
your eyes?”
He said, “He is a
prophet.”
Now the Jews did
not believe
that he had been
blind and gained his sight
until they
summoned the parents of the one who had gained his sight.
They asked them,
“Is this your
son, who you say was born blind?
How does he now
see?”
His parents
answered and said,
“We know that
this is our son and that he was born blind.
We do not know
how he sees now,
nor do we know
who opened his eyes.
Ask him, he is of
age;
he can speak for
himself.”
His parents said
this because they were afraid
of the Jews, for
the Jews had already agreed
that if anyone
acknowledged him as the Christ,
he would be expelled
from the synagogue.
For this reason
his parents said,
“He is of age;
question him.”
So a second time
they called the man who had been blind
and said to him,
“Give God the praise!
We know that this
man is a sinner.”
He replied,
“If he is a
sinner, I do not know.
One thing I do
know is that I was blind and now I see.”
So they said to
him,
“What did he do
to you?
How did he open
your eyes?”
He answered them,
“I told you
already and you did not listen.
Why do you want
to hear it again?
Do you want to
become his disciples, too?”
They ridiculed
him and said,
“You are that
man’s disciple;
we are disciples
of Moses!
We know that God
spoke to Moses,
but we do not
know where this one is from.”
The man answered
and said to them,
“This is what is
so amazing,
that you do not
know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes.
We know that God
does not listen to sinners,
but if one is
devout and does his will, he listens to him.
It is unheard of
that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind.
If this man were
not from God,
he would not be
able to do anything.”
They answered and
said to him,
“You were born
totally in sin,
and are you
trying to teach us?”
Then they threw
him out.
When Jesus heard
that they had thrown him out,
he found him and
said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
He answered and
said,
“Who is he, sir,
that I may believe in him?”
Jesus said to
him,
“You have seen
him,
the one speaking
with you is he.”
He said,
“I do believe,
Lord,” and he worshiped him.
Then Jesus said,
“I came into this
world for judgment,
so that those who
do not see might see,
and those who do
see might become blind.”
Some of the
Pharisees who were with him heard this
and said to him,
“Surely we are not also blind, are we?”
Jesus said to
them,
“If you were
blind, you would have no sin;
but now you are
saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 9:1-41
The
story of the healing of the man born blind is the sixth sign that Jesus is the
Son of God from St. John’s Gospel. In this story we are presented with Jesus as
“the light of the world.” The story provides a number of key theological points
that help understand the mission of Christ.
The
first of these points is the understanding that sin is not inherited. The Jews
believed that the man born blind had inherited sin. ("Rabbi, who sinned,
this man or his parents, that he was born blind?") This understanding
would have been shared by the Pharisees in that it was supported by both
tradition and Old Testament Scripture (Exodus 20:5).
Next
we see that the Pharisees are accusing Jesus of violating the Sabbath,
considering it “work” to cure a person on that day when all work was to cease.
The logic that flowed from this was that Jesus could not be a prophet (much
less the Messiah) if he did not keep the scrupulous Pharisaic laws governing
the Sabbath.
The
references to the miracle were clearly disturbing to the people of the Jewish
community as we hear even the parents of the man born blind avoiding validating
Jesus’ standing as prophet or Messiah for fear of being called blasphemous and
being thrown out or shunned by the faith community. This is what happened to
the man born blind as he continued to argue that Jesus was from God and that he
was the Messiah. This reaction/rejection attitude about Jesus as Messiah was
formalized by the Jewish hierarchy around 85 A.D. when the curse against the
minim or heretics was introduced into the "Eighteen Benedictions."
CCC:
Jn 9:6 1151,
1504; Jn 9:7 1504; Jn 9:16-17 595; Jn 9:16 596,
2173; Jn 9:22 575,
596; Jn 9:31 2827; Jn 9:34 588; Jn 9:40-41 588
-------------------------------------------
Or
Shorter Form : John
9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38
As Jesus passed
by he saw a man blind from birth.
He spat on the
ground and made clay with the saliva,
and smeared the
clay on his eyes,
and said to him,
“Go wash in the
Pool of Siloam” — which means Sent —.
So he went and
washed, and came back able to see.
His neighbors and
those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said,
“Isn’t this the
one who used to sit and beg?”
Some said, “It
is, “
but others said,
“No, he just looks like him.”
He said, “I am.”
They brought the
one who was once blind to the Pharisees.
Now Jesus had
made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath.
So then the
Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see.
He said to them,
“He put clay on
my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.”
So some of the
Pharisees said,
“This man is not
from God,
because he does
not keep the sabbath.”
But others said,
“How can a sinful
man do such signs?”
And there was a
division among them.
So they said to
the blind man again,
“What do you have
to say about him,
since he opened
your eyes?”
He said, “He is a
prophet.”
They answered and
said to him,
“You were born
totally in sin,
and are you
trying to teach us?”
Then they threw
him out.
When Jesus heard
that they had thrown him out,
he found him and
said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
He answered and
said,
“Who is he, sir,
that I may believe in him?”
Jesus said to
him,
“You have seen
him, and
the one speaking
with you is he.”
He said,
“I do believe,
Lord,” and he worshiped him.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38
The
shorter form of the story omits the iterative nature of the questioning of the
Pharisees, their own condemnation as being blind, and skips straight to Jesus’
profession of faith and that of the man born blind as he replied to Jesus'
question concerning his identity with the profession: “’I do believe, Lord,’
and he worshiped him.”
CCC:
Jn 9:6 1151,
1504; Jn 9:7 1504; Jn 9:16-17 595; Jn 9:16 596,
2173; Jn 9:34 588
-------------------------------------------
Homily:
I’d like to have you reflect
with me about what took place in the Gospel story we just heard. I know; I have proclaimed it and it is a
story familiar to us with many symbolic parts (coming as it does from St.
John’s Gospel). But I’d like to tell the
story of the man born blind as I have imagined it; not as the sixth miracle
story, not as another one of Jesus’ miracles but as it must have impacted a
real person and a real community.
First, let’s give the man
born blind a name – no name is provided by St. John so let’s call him Abner (In
Hebrew it means father of light. In the bible he was King Saul's cousin and
commander of his army. Abner was a valiant warrior and clever strategist.) When Abner’s parents were expecting him, they
would have been filled with expectation. He would be a great man.
Those hopes turned to ashes
when they discovered some time after his birth that he could not see. In those times, this terrible affliction not
only meant Abner would grow up to be a beggar (that was all he would be able to
do once he came of age and his parents could no longer support him). It also meant that Abner’s parents or perhaps
even his grandparents had committed some unforgiven sin. What other reason could there be for God to
punish them so – causing their son to be born blind.
This stain of humiliation
would have caused Abner’s family to lose any esteem they may have had with
their community. People would have
wondered – what awful thing did they do to merit Abner’s affliction. It is no wonder after the miracle happened
that they would have been less than cooperative with the local Jewish leaders,
telling them to ask Abner about the miracle cure since he was of age.
Growing up in that village
Abner would have had a difficult time as well.
Children would have heard from their parents how Abner was being
punished by their God and they would not have been overly kind – certainly Abner
would have been lucky to have any friends.
From his teenage years he would have been forced to beg for
subsistence. He was completely dependent
upon the charity of others.
Then, on a day that would
change his life forever, Abner, sitting in customary place in the outskirts of
modern-day Jerusalem, heard a discussion in which he was keenly interested.
“Rabbi, who sinned, this
man or his parents,
that he was born blind?”
They were talking about him
and he listened already feeling humiliation for what he expected to follow –
blame cast at either himself, or his family.
To his surprise the next voice he heard filled him with awe –
“Neither he nor his
parents sinned; (the man said)
it is so that the works of
God might be made visible through him.
We have to do the works of
the one who sent me while it is day.
Night is coming when no
one can work.
While I am in the world, I
am the light of the world.”
All of a sudden, he heard
footsteps approaching and someone was smearing something damp on his eyes. Abner would have been startled. Only the very brave would seek to intervene
against God’s will. Then the man said:
“Go wash in the Pool of
Siloam”
Siloam was a small pool cut
out of rock not too far away. Abner knew
the way and the authority with which he was told to go propelled him in that
direction, feeling his way along what must have been a familiar path.
When he washed his eyes and
for the first time in his experience saw light, he must have gasped at
least. Unfamiliar shapes surrounded
him. Knowing more by touch and smell
than any other sense he would have seen his own face for the first time in that
small pool. Knowledge would have flooded into him – “I am the light of the
world” all of a sudden, they would have meaning to Abner. He would have rushed back to the Lord, moving
faster than he had ever been able to move.
But who had cured him? Abner
would have looked frantically seeking the voice because that would be the only
way he could recognize the Lord.
People were staring at him
now too. They knew him; how was it
possible he could now see? They asked
how it had happened and he knew only the name “Jesus.” It must have been mentioned by one of those
following the Lord but not recorded in Scripture. They asked him where Jesus was but poor Abner
had never seen his face.
Jewish law required Abner to
go to the priests to demonstrate his well-being when cures were affected. This one would have really perturbed
them. Abner had not recovered from some
accident or gotten over some disease. He had been blind from birth. And these priests knew something Abner did
not. They knew the identity of Jesus and
also knew he was a threat.
They needed to prove Jesus
did not cause this miracle. First they
challenged Abner’s identity; they even brought in his parents. Then they tried to prove he had blasphemed by
doing work on the sabbath. Nothing
changed the fact that God had been revealed in this carpenter’s son from
Galilee.
Abner knew what had
happened. He had heard Jesus speak and
even though he was blind, he had heard the words of the Law and Prophets his
whole life. Jesus, who had smeared mud in
his eyes and restored his sight, must certainly be the Messiah. He challenged those in authority. When they started in the third time, Abner
asked them “Do you want to become his disciples, too?”
With that the priests
effectively excommunicated him from the synagogue, a punishment for challenging
their authority. Abner left the
synagogue and found the Lord. Something in this man erased any doubt Abner had
left. When the Lord asked: “Do you
believe in the Son of Man?” (Using Isaiah’s words for the Messiah), Abner only
need to be sure, asking:
“Who is he, sir, that I
may believe in him?”
And when Jesus identified
himself, Abner worshiped him – probably falling at his feet.
We do not know what became of
Abner after that. He was undoubtedly one
of the Lord’s followers – walking proof of God’s love. He saw and believed.
We are offered this story so
we too might be reminded. Jesus was a
real person. He walked the earth and
lived as we do. We are asked to believe
without seeing and follow him – the Light of the World – and in doing so become
light ourselves.
Pax
[1]
Catechism links are taken from the
Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for
Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2]
The picture used today is “Moses and the Brazen Serpent" by Sebastien
Bourdon 1653-54.
[3]
S.S.
Commemoratio[4]
The readings are taken from the New American Bible,
with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the
International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is
not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.[5]
Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc.© 1968, 24:80 p. 426.
[6]
Id., 63:71 p. 430
.[7]
Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, © 2010, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. 1
Samuel 16:13.
[8]
NAB footnote on Ps 23:5.
[9]
Ibid.
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