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Lent 4A March 30, 2014, by Fr. Kevin Anderson

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind . . .

 

Most of us know that song by heart.  It is one of the most beloved of all religious songs.  But have you really thought about the words?    What does it mean to be blind?  What does it mean to be lost?

 

A blind person once asked St. Anthony, "Can there be anything worse than losing eyesight?" 

He replied, "Yes, losing your vision!"  

 

Most of us can see pretty well.  I mean, I started wearing glasses a few years ago, but now I wear contacts.   Even without my contacts, I can still see pretty well (enough to pass my driver’s license eye test each time).  How many of us think that we are seeing but really we are like the characters in the gospel?  

 

Perhaps our blindness is like that of  . . .

 

1.  The disciples.  They asked, “whose sin caused the man’s blindness, his or his parents?”  This is our blindness when we asume that when a bad thing occurs . . . it is God’s way of punishing. For example, the awful mudslide near Seattle, the disappearance of that plane in the Indian Ocean . . . or even when we get sick or things don’t work out in our jobs or finances . . . to assume that it’s God’s way of punishing us.  That’s wrong thinking.   Bad things happen because bad things happen.  It is not God punishing anyone.  This kind of blindness refuses to see the grace of God revealed.

 

2.  The neighbors in the story. They thought they had life all figured out, so when their well-known blind neighbor suddenly can see . . . they begin to doubt themselves and think, “Well, maybe this isn’t the same man.”   This is our blindness when we don’t let God to run the world.  That is, when we need to have everything figured out in life . . . or controlled.  Or we have locked people into boxes as we think we know them.  And we have lost the ability to wonder and allow miracles to occur.   Too often, our blindness causes us to accept the seven “C’s” of judging: That is,                     comparing,

                                                competing,

                                                having conflicts (because the other person won’t agree with us)

                                                conspiring,

                                                condemning without knowing all the facts

                                                cancelling out any contrary evidence,

                                                crucifying with no thought that we might be wrong

This kind of blindness doesn’t make room for grace to surprise us.

 

3, The Pharisees.  They were blinded by the law, when they accuse Jesus of doing something bad because he is breaking a command by doing something on the Sabbath.  This is our blindness when we become legalistic or hide behind a rule/law.  Now I am talking about adult spirituality.  This does not apply to kids or teens when their parents give them a rule (which is a good thing).  It becomes a bad thing when an adult can’t think for himself, or herself, or apply some common sense! 

 

On the cover of our Diocesan newspaper (The Visitor), this week there is a wonderful article about Pope Francis.  The editor of America magazine, Fr. Matthew Malone, says, “too many Catholics run the risk of being religious, but not spiritual. The Holy Father is not saying that rules are wrong, only that they are not the essence of our faith.  Relationship is the essence of our faith.  The rules only exist to safe-guard relationships.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church expresses the tradition of the church and its pilgrim journey to the fullness of life and love . . . in other words, it is not a penal code.

 

Some of us have become blind to the good news of the gospel and reduced religion as “a set of rules” only.   This blindness does not allow grace to set us free.

 

4. The blind man’s parents.  They are blinded with fear. They have to defend themselves because they know that they could be expelled from the synagogue (which was the worst public disgrace).  We share that blindness when we have a fear being different,

                                                                        fear of knowing the truth, 

                                                                        fear of living authentically,

                                                                        fear of risking love,

                                                                        fear of being put-down with gossip,

                                                                        fear of “going for it” by always playing it safe. 

 

It’s amazing that the only one in the story (besides Jesus) who can truly see is the man born blind.  For he has allowed Jesus to give him sight.  He has allowed God’s grace to touch his life . . . . but that doesn’t mean

  1. 1.      that his life won’t have problems
  2. 2.      that he will always allow God to be in control
  3. 3.      that he won’t struggle with rules and laws
  4. 4.      or that he won’t have any more fears in his life

But it does mean that he is open   . . . .  as we are likewise invited . . . . to be open to let God’s grace (which is amazing as the song suggests) touch us,

                                                                        heal us,

                                                                        help us,

                                                                        guide us,

                                                                        surprise us,

                                                                        forgive us 

                                                                                               . . .  and to give us vision.

[sing]

'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home.
 

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