Palm and Passion Sunday (A)

 

Palm and Passion Sunday

 [Mt 21:1-11] + [Mt 26:14 - 27:66]

29.03.2026

Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, and His Passion and Death

Readings: (1) Is 50:4-7 (2) Phil 2:6-11

1.    Theme in brief:

Our life’s triumph and passion

2.    Focus Statement

Today’s two-in-one liturgy of Palm and Passion Sunday presents to us two contradictory aspects of Jesus’ ministry as well as our own lives: his moments of triumph and pain, of glory and suffering of the kind he underwent at Jerusalem – utter loneliness, total rejection, betrayal, humiliation, physical and mental agony and a terrible death.

3.    Explanation of the text

Here are some of the salient features of Matthew’s narrative of Jesus’ passion in which we can very well identify our own human condition as well as the condition of so many other people in the world:

(a) Jesus’ mental agony as he prays at Gethsemane during which he feels mentally broken, “agitated” and “deeply grieved” with sorrow “even to death” with the thought of such a terribe suffering he will have to undergo (26:37-38);

(b) his initial wish that if possible his Father could take away the cup of suffering from him, but later his obedient submission to God’s will that he suffer and die with the words, “Not what I want but what you want” (26:39), while his disciples fail to comfort him as they  fall asleep (26:40);

(c)  his betrayal by Judas, one of his own disciples with a kiss, out of greed for money (26:49 &15), but whom he addresses as “friend” (26:50);

(d)  his desertion (abandonment) by his own disciples at the time of crisis (26:31);

(e) his mock trial and sentencing to death by the Sanhedrin (that is, Jewish religious court) on fictitious charges that he wanted to destroy the temple (26:61) and was guilty of blasphemy (26:65);

(f)   Peter's dramatic  and pathetic denial that he ever knew Jesus by cursing and swearing an oath (26:74) due to his cowardice when he comes under pressure from servant-girls and bystanders;

(g) Judas’ suicide by hanging himself after realizing his sin of “betraying innocent blood” (27:4), and the scruple of chief priests and the elders not to take the blood money either for themselves or for the temple’s treasury (27:6);

(h)  the consistent manipulation of the Roman Governor (Pilate) by chief priests and the elders to get Jesus sentenced to death, again under fabricated or misinterpreted charges;

(i)  Pilate’s finding him innocent which was further confirmed by a dream of his wife (27:19);

(j)    Pilate’s plan to release him by offering the crowd an alternative – a notorious prisoner called Barabbas which eventually backfired (27:16-17 & 21);

(k) the crowd’s demand for crucifixion (27:23) and Pilate’s decision to allow it under pressure from the crowd and fear of a riot breaking out (27:24 &26);

(l)  humiliation and insults done to Jesus by stripping his clothes and giving him a mock robe, crown of thorns and sceptre (reed) in his hand, spitting on him, striking him on the head with that reed and crucifying him in the midst of two bandits (27:28-35 & 38);

(m) ridicule and insults by passers-by, chief priests, scribes and elders as well as by the bandits on his sides (27:39-44);

(n)  his feelings of being forsaken not only by all near and dear ones but even by God himself (27:46) and his death with a loud voice (27:50).

More than other evangelists, Matthew cites again and again the fulfilment of a series of OT prophecies and sayings throughout his passion narrative. For him the passion is a route planned and willed by God to fulfil his saving mission for which he was born (Mt 1:21) and was faithful to the end.

4.    Application to life

Today’s two-in-one liturgy of Palm and Passion Sunday presents to us two contradictory aspects of our lives: joys and sorrows, triumph and pain. The two gospel readings – first one about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (21:1-11) and the second one about his agonizing passion (26:14 – 27:66) are two sides of the same ‘coin’ (or life). We have our moments of joy, triumph and victory: when we are successful and elated; we are well settled in life; everything sails smoothly; the winds blow certainly in our favour; we get what we desire; our wishes are fulfilled; our jobs are secure; people close to us love us to our heart’s content; and our good health is our greatest wealth. There are also times when people acclaim, applaud, praise, honour and encourage us. This is like singing hosannas to us as people did to Jesus on the road to Jerusalem.

Then there is the other side of the coin – our moments of sorrows and agonizing passion. There are times when we go through what Jesus went through in Jerusalem: betrayal, denial, indifference, mockery, loneliness, rejection, false accusation, unjust treatment, insults, humiliation, mental and physical agony, torture and shameful death as described in the explanation of the passion narrative above. What a consolation and encouragement to know that Jesus bore all the suffering and evil which we human beings undergo and to believe that he is with us whenever these things happen to us.

 All the salient features of Matthew’s passion narrative enumerated above are a part of our lives and the lives of so many people in the world around us, such as – the mental agony and agitation we undergo in moments of crisis; the struggle we face while accepting suffering or trials and submitting ourselves to God’s will; the betrayal of a spouse due to infidelity or divorce; the loneliness faced by married partners due to clash of interests or separation, by the sick and the aged who have nobody to take care of them, by the priests and religious who feel sometimes betrayed by the same people whom they serve, by young people who sometimes feel betrayed by those whom they love; the greed of people for money (like Judas) which leads to overexploitation of natural resources and corruption in public places; the desertion of friends and sometimes even by one’s own children during sickness, calamity and old age; unjust trial by neighbours, friends and colleagues on suspicious and fictitious charges; denial of justice and fair treatment by opponents, friends and even family members; unjust treatment and victimization by some people under pressure from the public or pressure groups; manipulation of the authorities by people of vested interests for their advantage; persecution of the innocent people for no fault of theirs; allowing the innocent to suffer due to fear of one’s own position and under public pressure; undergoing humiliation, public ridicule and insults for standing firm on moral principles or for taking the side of the powerless (especially by honest people in public life); and the agony of feeling abandoned or forsaken by one’s own near and dear ones and sometimes even by God in times of suffering and adversity.

Who among us has not experienced at least one of the above-mentioned facts either in one’s own life or in the life of one’s near and dear ones or friends and neighbours? Jesus took upon himself our human condition in every respect. Therefore, as St. Paul says, today we are “bending our knees,” “confessing with our tongues” and praising the holy name of Jesus “above every name” (cf. Phil 2:9-11). We are singing hosanna to him with palm branches in our hands because he walks with us not only in our happy journey but also in our sorrowful journey to ‘Jerusalem.’ Yes, we too have our ‘Palm Sundays’ and ‘Passion Sundays.’ That is why Jesus becomes a source of life to be lived here and hereafter for all who obey and follow him (cf. Heb 5:9).

Today’s two-in-one liturgy is applicable to our life in another way also. The two parts of the liturgy represent our own faithfulness to Christ and his values on the one hand and unfaithfulness on the other hand. On the one hand we sing “Glory to God in the highest” and “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest” (21:9) in prayer and worship, but on the other hand there are moments when we have been unfaithful and disobedient disciples by living a life unworthy of our Christian vocation. We have lived a life of worldliness or worldly ways, opposed to the way of Christ we promised to live at baptism.  The world shuns the way of the cross and proposes the way of vanity, pride, achievement, power and wealth as the only things that matter. In spite of allurements of the world, we are inspired by the example of so many of our ordinary Christian brothers and sisters who remain faithful to Christ, and make sacrifices to serve the sick, the disabled, the needy quietly and silently. There are believers in various parts of the world who put their lives at risk for the sake of their faith and undergo persecution. They endure terrible discrimination and daily intimidation because of their faith.

At the same time, today’s liturgy reminds us about the other side of the coin, that is, moments of our unfaithfulness to the Lord. It is easy to be part of the crowd during important liturgical celebrations like this…. The same Peter who said he is willing to die denied him a few hours later. The same crowd who shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David” (21:9) on the way to Jerusalem might have shouted “crucify him, crucify him.” Though we attend church and say our prayers, there are moments when we ‘crucify’ Jesus in real life by living a life contrary to his teachings and example. In us also we notice traces of the bad character of various personalities in the passion narrative. For instance, there are times when we condemn and harshly judge the innocent like Pilate; deny Jesus by our evil or corrupt ways like Peter; betray him for personal gains and selfish purposes like Judas; desert him by living a life of alienation from him and totally rejecting his teachings like the disciples; etc.

Today’s procession by holding palm branches in our hands is a sign that we are willing to walk with Jesus in both his passion and in his triumph. Though the word ‘passion’ here refers to Jesus’ suffering, in English language it also means a strong feeling or commitment for something. Jesus had so much passion for life, truth, justice and service to the needy that he had to pay the price of his Passion, and sacrifice his life for these values by dying a shameful death. If we try to imitate the same passion which he had, it may also lead us to our own ‘passion’ and cross of opposition, criticism, insult, rejection, or even fear of suspension from job, threat to life, etc. The question is whether we are willing to take up these crosses and walk with him to ‘Jerusalem,’ or evade these crosses totally by taking a comfortable position. Jesus went knowingly to Jerusalem to suffer and die. Maybe we do not want to go where we know there will be suffering and crosses.

5.    Response to God's Word

How do we respond in faith to the above-mentioned predicament and situations of our lives faced by Jesus during his passion: positively or negatively; with faith or doubt in God’s goodness? What are the unchristian and ungodly ways by which we ‘crucify’ our Lord again and again? Does Jesus’ powerful example and identification in every human condition become a source of grace and strength for us? Do we have a passion for life, truth, justice and service to the needy as Jesus had? Are we willing to take up the cross of opposition, criticism, insult, rejection and walk with him to ‘Jerusalem?’ Are we faithful to our divinely ordained mission as Jesus was, and are we ready to fulfil it till the end?

6.    A prayer

Blessed are you, Jesus, who come in the name of the Lord God. Hosanna to you. Though you were in the form of God, you did not cling to your heavenly position, but emptied yourself to become one like us in every respect, even to humiliating and shameful death on a cross. Be a source of powerful example, grace and strength for us when we have to face what you faced in your passion. Amen.

Fifth Sunday of Lent (A)

 

Fifth Sunday of Lent (A) [Jn 11:1-45]

22.03.2026

The Raising of Lazarus

Readings: (1) Ez 37:12-14 (2) Rom 8:8-11

1.    Theme in brief:

Jesus is the giver of supernatural lif to those who are spiritually dead.

2.    Focus Statement

Jesus is the giver of supernatural life to those who believe in him as the Resurrection and the Life; they will never die spiritually, even though they die physically.

3.    Explanation of the text

Today’s gospel text is about the restoration of physical life to Jesus’ “friend” Lazarus after four days of his death. The main message of this text is that Jesus is the source of supernatural life or the supernatural Life-Giver to those who are spiritually dead. It points out two of the ironies in John’s gospel: (1) The Life-Giver himself is going to give up his life on the cross, in order to give supernatural or eternal life to all those who believe in him. (2) By raising Lazarus to life, Jesus takes the risk of facing his own death through which he will attain his glory (11:50-53). John states it clearly that from the time of Lazarus’ coming back to life the chief priests and the Pharisees “planned to put him to death" (11:53). Further, it is Jesus' very claim, "I am the resurrection and the life" (11:25) that provokes the Jewish authorities to plan his death.

Secondly, the evangelist presents this episode of raising Lazarus from death as a symbol for freedom from the bonds of spiritual or eternal death for those who put their trust in Jesus and his word. For believers, this trust becomes the gateway to experience full blossoming of eternal life received in rudimentary form at baptism, and the hope of the final resurrection of the body. Lazarus is presented as the "one whom Jesus loves" (11:3, 36) and as his “friend” (11:11), probably to tell us that he represents all those whom Jesus loves, all those who are his friends, including his present disciples.

Another irony is that Jesus purposely delays his visit to Bethany in spite of knowing that Lazarus is seriously ill. In spite of his special love and friendship with Lazarus and his sisters (11:6), he allows him to die “for their sake” (11:15). He wants to use Lazarus’ dying and rising as a sign to tell them that he himself is going to die and rise soon. Now Jesus is going to reveal God’s glory by giving life to the dead person (Lazarus) out of his love for him to symbolize his own plan to give glory to God by his death and glorification (or resurrection, 11:4).  This again symbolizes his power to give life to all those who are counted, like Lazarus, to be his “friends.”

For a belleiver, who is Jesus? In addition to the many titles attributed to him, this passage gives us another: he is our Resurrection and our Life. Hence, the episode of raising Lazarus from the dead is meant to reveal further Jesus’ identity as “I am the resurrection and the life” (11:25), the source of our hope both now and in eternity. Already in the beginning of his gospel John has stated that in Jesus is the life of God in its fullness, or he fully shares the life of the Father, because of his oneness or unity with the Father (1:4). That is why he is the Life itself. And that divine life he shares with those who “believe” in him, that is, those who are personally attached or committed to him and put their trust in him.

This self-revelation of Jesus as the resurrection and the life implies that he fully shares the power of God over life and death. The power which death holds over people to separate them from God and his divine or eternal life is defeated by Jesus’ resurrection. For those who believe that Jesus is the Resurrection, their physical death has no power over them, because their future destiny is determined not by their physical death, but by their faith in him and his promise of “raising them up on the last day” (Jn 6:44). For those who believe that Jesus is the Life, their present life is also determined by his power to share with them God’s own life (eternal life). Thus, he claims that he is able to raise people from death to life on his own, now itself, as well as at the general resurrection. But there is a condition – put by Jesus to Martha – to be fulfilled: "Do you believe this (11:26)?" Faith in Jesus creates such a close communion with him that divine life which is in him flows into believers. And physical death cannot cut off that life. Since the believer is in close union or intimacy with Jesus who is the Life, how can this spark of divine life be extinguished with death? One who has faith lives even after death, in fact never dies in spirit.

Jesus brings the gift of divine life to those who believe in him so that those who receive it shall never die spiritually, even if they die physically (11:26). Physical death is not the end of their life, but a gateway to another life (spiritual and eternal). They share not only in divine life here on earth but also, because of his triumph over death, in his resurrection hereafter also. In other words, believers in Jesus will experience resurrection because, death cannot defeat the life of God (1 Cor 15:53-57). Hence, death’s curse and sting is removed by him. At the end we notice that when the dead man (Lazarus) comes out of the tomb, his hands and feet are bound. Jesus orders them to “unbind” him and let him go free (11:44). This symbolizes Jesus’ power to loosen the bonds of death and set the believers free from eternal death.

4.    Application to life

It is interesting to note that the gospel texts prescribed for all the three Sundays of Lent this year deal with three spiritual truths: of the third Sunday that identifies Jesus as living water points to our spiritual thirst for God and his love; of the fourth Sunday that identifies him as the Light of the World points to our spiritual blindness to our sins and to recognize Jesus;  and of today’s  fifth Sunday that identifies him as the Resurrection and the Life points to our spiritual death which separates us from God.

What is spiritual death? St. Paul describes it as “being alienated from the life of God” (Eph 4:18) or lacking his life. From the Bible we come to know that God had told Adam that he will “die”  on the day he will eat the forbidden fruit (Gen 2:17). Adam did eat, but did not die immediately. That God was referring to a spiritual death – a separation or alienation from him – is clear from the fact that both Adam and Eve “hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God” when they heard his sound (Gen 3:8). We should know that serious sins cause spiritual death – separation or alienation from God’s love, and also death of divine life in us. Lent is the time to put our faith and trust in Jesus’ power over life and death and say like Martha: “Yes, Lord, I do believe that you are the Messiah. I do believe in your power to raise me up from the tomb of spiritual death caused by my sins and unbelief”. In John’s gospel, the greatest sin is the sin of “unbelief.” This sin does not refer to doubting some of the tenets of faith taught to us in catechism, but to a fundamental attitude of rejecting God’s offer of love that results in weakening or sometimes loss of God’s own life in us. This is considered equal to ‘death. in the fourth gospel. Once this happens, all other individual sins will flow.

Lent is the fitting time to come out of the grave of sin, selfishness and fears, and rise to a new life of grace. This realization will reach its climax on Easter when we renew our baptismal experience of ‘dying’ with Christ and ‘rising’ with him. This metaphor means putting to death (or destroying) sin and selfishness and living the resurrected life of holiness and grace. As we move towards the celebration of Easter, we are called to symbolically resurrect from the tomb of sin to a life of grace through repentance and the Sacrament of Reconciliation (‘Confession’). Jesus comes to unbind the forces of sin, evil, death and decay, and sets us free, just as he told them to unbind Lazarus. This is the story of the power of faith over the forces of death, or the victory of life over death. Let us submit ourselves to his power to free us from three negative forces that can chain us – of sin, evil and death.

Jesus does not promise that believers will not die physically. Lazarus himself died after he was raised. What he promises is that physical death is the gateway to a resurrected life. Christ raises us up from our spiritual death to a new life in the spirit. He wants to resurrect us from the state of spiritual death. We are spiritually dead in various ways: (1) when we allow selfishness and sin to rule over us; (2); when are inactive or lose zeal and enthusiam for service;  (3) when we are dead to the needs and feelings of our neighbours; (4) when we are totally unconcerned and insensitive to the sufferings of others; and (5) when we live a life without any hope. When we accept Jesus as our sole Master, we become fully alive. But the condition put by him applies to us also: We need to believe in him and his word, that is, willingly should submit ourselves to him. Jesus is the Resurrection since he gives spiritual life to the physically dead. He is the Life since he prevents the spiritual death of those who put their faith in him.

Lazarus represents all those whom Jesus loves, which includes you and me – those who believe in his name. This event, describes our own life-story – how we can come to life from death in this present moment, not only after death. What happened to Lazarus happens to us in stages: first at baptism, then at each moment of our lives, then when we die and at the final resurrection of our bodies.  Jesus is the resurrection and the life for us at each moment of our lives. Everyday we are living in the face of death; more so due to the insecurity caused by international terrorism, natural calamities triggered by ecological changes and horrible accidents. Life is so fragile that it is always at risk more in modern times than before. Jesus invites us to decide which power determines our existence here on earth – whether God's life-giving power in Jesus or the power of death. If the former is true, then how we live our lives is more important than how we are going to die.

What marvels faith can do to those who really believe that Jesus liberates them from the bondage of death here are hereafter. Each one of us could be a Lazarus who is bound and laid in tomb and wants to be unbound. Unlike the Lazarus of the gospel, it is possible we have been in our ‘tomb’ for more than four days and may not like Jesus to open it for fear of the stench of what is inside – habitual sins, addictions, negativity, bitterness, revenge, jealousies, lust, corruption and all other evils. Or in another sense, we could be like another Lazarus in the tomb, discouraged, frustrated with life, depressed, rejected, finding life meaningless and not worth living. Lent is the time to hand over our lives to the power of Jesus and hear him crying with a loud voice: “Lazarus, (or so-and-so) come out of your tomb” (cf.11:43). Then hear him saying: “Unbind him/her, let him/her go free” (cf. 11:44). Sometimes in healing sessions and in mass media we listen to the powerful testimonies of those who were once lost and are found now. With the power of faith, if those who were once written off by people as “dead” can come out of their deeper and bigger tombs, why not we from our smaller tombs? Of course, if this ‘miracle’ has to happen, we need to come out from another tomb – the tomb of mediocrity of faith and a Christian life lived without vitality or zeal. Sometimes we live as if we have not shared in Christ’s resurrection at baptism and act as if we are already ‘dead’ by our lack of enthusiasm or zest for life. If we really believe that he is our resurrection, we are freed from meaninglessness of life and are led to live a life of purpose. A life without a purpose is not worth living; it is a ‘dead’ life.

At Lazarus’ tomb when Jesus sees Mary and all those are present weeping, he is greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved; then he also begins to weep (11:33, 35). Does he not weep over us today when we allow the spirit in us to die, since we too, like Lazarus, are his “friends,” among those whom he loves? Is he not emotionally moved by our existence in ‘tombs’ of lifelessness, lovelessness, inactivity, unenthusiastic life, alienation from God and neighbour? Once we accept Jesus as resurrection and life we cannot live a loveless and hopeless life. So today’s gospel invites us to march towards the blessed hope of living a resurrected life with total trust in Jesus’ promise that those who believe in him will live for ever.

Today’s gospel has another message for our mission for so many Lazaruses in our society who are physically alive, but in reality in the tomb – those who are addicted to drugs, alcohol, electronic gadgets; those who have lost meaning in life and are disoriented. Can we be a Jesus to them with our love, compassion and life-promoting actions?

5.    Response to God's Word

What are the forces of death that have engulfed us? What are the signs of spiritual death in us? Are we trying to submit ourselves to the life-giving power of Jesus? How would we like to see ourselves? Happy and bubbling with enthusiasm or dull and difficult to please? Do we exhibit a great zeal for life so that others can come to know that we have glimpses of eternal life and resurrection already? Am I a person whose enthusiasm never dies?  Is there any truth in what experts say: “Most people die at twenty and are buried at eighty?” What am I doing to come out of my ‘tomb’ or ‘grave?’

6.    A prayer

Even if I sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, I believe Lord, you are there tolead me to new life and vitality. Yes, Lord, I do believe, you are the Son of God, the one coming into the world; you are the resurrection and the life. I am spiritually dead. Come and set me free from the bondage of sin and death so that I can live with you for ever and ever. Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Lent (A)

 

Fourth Sunday of Lent (A) [Jn 9:1-41]

15.03.2026

Jesus is the Healer of Spiritual Blindness

Readings: (1) 1 Sam 16:1.6-7.10-13 (2) Eph 5:8-14

1. Theme in brief:

Healing of our spiritual blindness

2. Focus Statement:

Physical blindness is not caused by sin, but spiritual blindness is; due to which we are not able to see our sins and who Jesus is.

3. Explanation of the text

Today’s gospel passage is about the healing of the man who was born blind, and the non-healing of the Jewish religious leaders who continued to remain in their blindness. Of course, the gospel speaks about the incurable spiritual blindness of the Pharisees. Jesus is the light of the world (9:5). As light he has come into the darkness of this world. Only by admitting one’s own spiritual blindness one can approach the light of God that shines in the person of Jesus. This text dramatically explains how the light of Jesus gives spiritual sight to the man born blind, and blindness to those refuse to accept that light by thinking that they know or see everything. It proclaims Christ as the light that dispels darkness of sin and reveals the Father’s love.

The story of the born blind man narrated in the given text begins with a question asked by Jesus’ disciples about who is responsible for his illness (9:2). It proceeds to assert that physical blindness is caused neither by one’s personal sins nor one’s parents' (9:3), and ends with the conclusion that spiritual blindness is surely caused by one’s sins (9:41).  In other words, sin is the spiritual blindness that needs to be healed much more than physical blindness. Jesus corrects a commonly held wrong belief of people of his time, also found in the OT (Ex 20:5), that sickness is caused by one’s own sins or the sins of one’s parents/ancestors. Though the OT teaches that sickness and other sufferings have come into human life due to the sin of our first parents, in the light of Jesus’ teachings we need to understand that they are not the result of one’s personal sins, but the consequence of the sin of humanity as a whole. Otherwise, what we get is a punishing and revengeful God who sends sickness to punish us for our personal sins. From what Jesus says we understand that sickness or any human suffering is an occasion to “reveal God’s works” (9:3) – his mercy, love and glory. By giving sight to the blind man, Jesus does reveal God’s works of mercy and salvation to an afflicted or suffering person.

The procedure with which Jesus healed the blind man is also filled with symbolic meanings. First he applies a paste of mud prepared out of his saliva and asks him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam (9:6). The former symbolizes baptismal anointing (done in the early Church and continued till today) and the latter baptismal washing with water. The very fact that Jesus asked him to wash in the pool of Siloam (9:7) instead of healing him on the spot, indicates two things: (1) he is presented here as a faithful disciple who obeys what the Master commands; (2) the name of the pool ‘Siloam’ (which means Sent, 9:7), symbolizes an inner washing -- of sins by the water of baptism by which a disciple becomes ‘one who is sent’ or a missionary.

Jesus opens not only the blind man’s physical eyes, but also his eyes of faith to recognize his real identity stage by stage, deeper and deeper. At first, the blind man knows him only as a man called Jesus (9:11), then as a prophet (9:17), later on as a man from God (9:33), and finally as the heavenly and divine person, Son of Man (9:35). His faith culminates in an act of worship of Jesus as the Lord by making the shortest and simplest confession of faith: “Lord, I believe” (9:38). He becomes a model for us for making a progress from ignorance of Jesus to confession of faith in him and boldly bearing witness to him, whereas his neighbours continue to remain in ignorance (9: 8-12); his parents fail to confess Jesus publicly out of fear of excommunication (9:23); and the Pharisees obstinately refuse to accept or admit the truth in spite of seeing it with their eyes (9:24, 40). Thus, this text highlights the movement of a would-be disciple from unbelief to belief, ignorance to knowledge of Christ, blindness to the light of faith, and superficial faith to the depth of faith-surrender.

The healing of the blind man is only a sign of the spiritual light which Jesus has come to give to those who are spiritually blind. This story begins with a man born blind presumably due to his or his parents’ sins (9:2) and ends with some of the Pharisees, presumably righteous ones, pronounced sinners by Jesus because they pretend to “see” (9:39-41). At the end, the blind man not only receives physical sight but also spiritual light. Thus, the story ends with the paradox and a double meaning common in John’s gospel – those who are blind see and those who think they can see are blind (9:39).

4. Application to life

Today’s’ gospel brings to light the inner journey of a blind man who is lost in darkness from birth and is condemned to beg with no hope for the future. The day he encounters Jesus and obediently follows his directions, his life changes and he becomes an ardent disciple.

The introductory part of today’s gospel that deals with the question whether sickness is the punishment for our or our ancestors’ sins, is relevant even today. This view is held not only by many people of other faiths, but also by some popular preachers in the Church.  Though we find such a view in the OT, Jesus purifies that understanding by revealing to us the image of not a punishing/revengeful God, but a boundlessly loving and compassionate Father. Far from being a punishment for our personal sins, our sickness or any other sufferings provide an opportunity or occasion for repentance for our sins and bearing witness to Christ’s own suffering. If we accept them with a deeper faith, he gives us supernatural strength to bear them. For Christian disciples, it is impossible to negate the glory of God shining through a person who has accepted his/her illness with serenity and has joined it to Christ’s own suffering. In this Season of Lent, we need to re-discover the meaning of human suffering in the light of Christ’s suffering. That is why, instead of asking who/what is the cause of our suffering, it is proper to ask what could be God’s purpose in allowing me or so-and-so to suffer so much.

Let us go to the main message of this story: By human nature, we are all born spiritually blind. Baptism is our first cure for spiritual blindness. Through the water of baptism, God opened our eyes of faith, washed our sins and gave us the light of faith to ‘see’ Christ. Lent is a time to renew our baptismal commitment, a time to admit that we repeatedly become spiritually blind. We have to examine ourselves and see how seriously we are preparing ourselves to renew our baptismal grace and wash our inner selves once again with the baptismal water at Easter Vigil. At Easter we want to ‘see’ the Risen Christ in faith and acclaim, “Lord, I do believe” (9:38). Let us examine ourselves on three matters by following the model of the blind man: (1) How obedient disciples we are in following Christ; (2) how faithful we are to the mission for which we are sent by baptism (remember the meaning of ‘Siloam’); and (3) how boldly we bear witness to Christ and his values like the blind man who was willing to face excommunication from the synagogue for the sake of his faith. Like him, can we make a bold confession of faith: "One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see” (9:25).

What is spiritual blindness? Spiritual Blindness is a common biblical metaphor for the inability of a person to understand or grasp a spiritual truth or its true meaning. Physically blind people cannot see visible things like colours, whereas the spiritually blind cannot see invisible spiritual realities such as God’s grace, love, peace and forgiveness. We notice a great sense of humility and openness in the blind man who admits his need for getting both physical sight and spiritual insight into the person of Jesus. On the other and the Pharisees insist that they see everything clearly without any light from God to see who Jesus is and also how weak in spirit they are. Can we recognize a Pharisee in us?

We can become spiritually blind in many other ways such as: (1) by judging people merely on their external appearance without knowing their internal motives; (2) by not seeing our own sins, weaknesses, limitations and failures and justifying our misbehaviour, instead of accepting it; (3) by always pointing out at others’ wrongdoings and closing our eyes on our own; (4) by claiming to have committed no murder, but ‘killing’ (deeply hurting) people with our heart-piercing words and abusive language or harsh judgements; (5) by saying we have never committed adultery, but continuing to nurse lustful attachments towards  so-called special “friends”; (6) by allowing money, power and position to blind us; (7) by our inability to see the hand of God behind our sorrows and hardships, or to see any good behind our sufferings; (8) by our inability to see the needs, difficulties and suffering of others; (9) by refusing to see the disastrous effects of racism, casteism, communalism, groupism, terrorism and many other ‘isms’;  and (10) by not seeing the root cause of wars, crimes, corruption and many other ills and social evils of our world. Is it not sin or selfishness of human heart, which perpetrates these evils or masterminds them? Do we see how we directly or indirectly contribute to some of these and other life-negating forces in the world? Ultimately, our blindness is the blindness of faith, because of which we are not able to see the love of God (even in adverse situations) or our need of him, and are not able to respond to it.

What are the causes of spiritual blindness? From today’s gospel, we can point out three causes: (1) ignorance; (2) doubt and negativity; and (3) hardheartedness. First of all, if we do not open our minds to know and learn the truth we will never know it. We get spiritual sight when we are open to the truth. See the type of question the disciples asked: “Who sinned?” They were very sure that somebody had sinned, either he or his parents, for him to be born blind. There is a sharp contrast between the blind man who admits his ignorance, and the Pharisees who are sure of their knowledge. Like them sometimes we too are very sure of worldly knowledge such as computer science, information technology, and sensational stories about the private life of our neighbours/ friends/ enemies, but are ignorant of the Scriptures, of God’s ways and of mysteries of our own life. Secondly, like the Pharisee who doubted everything, we too approach divine intervention in our or somebody else’s life purely on human reasoning. The Pharisees first doubted about the identity of the healed man, secondly about the divine powers of Jesus to restore sight because they considered him a sinner. Is it not true that our own attitudes, speech and behaviour that border on so much of cynicism, sarcasm, pessimism and negativity block God’s grace – even that grace which flows down throw the good example and guidance of others? .

Thirdly, like the Pharisees those who are not open to God or become hardhearted are incurable. We can become hardhearted in several ways such as refusal to admit our sins or worst still justifying them, holding on to our past grudges and refusing to forgive people…. The worst sin of modern times is to lose the sense of sin and to say that there is no such thing as sin even after committing worst of crimes. In other places of the gospel, Jesus calls this kind of hardheartedness an unforgivable blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (e.g. Mk 3:28-29), since such persons never yield to the promptings of the Holy Spirit to admit their sinfulness and need for God’s grace till the end of their lives. It is impossible to save those who refuse to admit that they are ‘blind’ (that is, sinners) till the end of their life, and are in need of God’s grace and redemption. Like the Pharisees, they will remain in sin (9:41). Only those who remain open to the truth about themselves and see how sin truly blinds them can receive the light of faith.

This story highlights our need to have our own spiritual blindness healed, especially in this Lenten Season, by turning to Christ, the light of the world. We need to plead Jesus to open our eyes to the truth about our need for admitting our sins, for repentance, for forgiveness and salvation. It is up to us to decide or make a choice: either to see the truth and get rid of our spiritual blindness, or like the Pharisees to harden our hearts and stubbornly refuse to accept the truth. The more we progress in faith the more we see our inadequacy and need to be open to God’s light.

5. Response to God's Word

Do we habitually point out others’ faults and justify our own wrongdoings and other evils of the world under various pretexts? What are we doing to get healed from ay of the spiritual blindness mentioned above? To what extent ignorance of truth, negativity and hardheartedness cause spiritual blindness in us? How are we making progress in our faith and growing in spiritual knowledge and deeper insight during this Lent? Like the blind man, let us admit our helplessness to get rid of our spiritual blindness and the darkness of sin on our own, and put our trust in Jesus who alone can anoint us with the power of his Spirit.

6. A prayer

Lord, reveal to me your purpose in allowing me and those dear to me sometimes to suffer so much. Reveal to me my present spiritual blindness and give me the humility to admit it. Open the eyes of my faith, and give me the light to ‘see’ you in all situations. Wash me with your cleansing water and deepen my faith. Grant that I may be your obedient and faithful disciple by fulfilling my baptismal mission of bearing a bold testimony to you. Amen.