Sermon - Sunday April 3, 2011Year A - The Year of Matthew - Lent 4
1 Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41
Light and darkness - the ancient world was obsessed with both in a way we cannot understand in 2011. That is because in the ancient world when it was dark, it was pitch darkness. There were no lights other than fires and oil lamps. The night was a time of danger. One could not see what lurked outside in the night. Light was a time of life and freedom for all the forces of the night were hidden away.
For a community that lived east and south of Jericho, in the heart of the Dead Sea desert, darkness and light took on a special meaning. For the Dead Sea community of Qumran, darkness and light represented all that was evil and all that was good.
The Devil was associated with night. Likewise evil deeds, ignorance, and Godlessness all were associated with darkness. Light came to be thought of as all that was good. God was light. Godly deeds and faithfulness were light.
The community of Qumran saw the world in a conflict between light and darkness. One had to battle with darkness by the forces of God and all that God represented and wanted from his people.
It is in the sense of this battle between light and darkness that we have today's Gospel. Again, we have another long reading.
Jesus is walking in the area of the temple when an odd question is asked of him. His disciples mind you, ask him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" In other words, "Who is to blame?"
Jesus begins to heal the man of his blindness. Jesus is going to show that he is the light of the world. "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam," so, the man goes and washes in the pool. He returns and is now able to see.
Think for a bit about the story from this point onward. One would think that the reaction of those who knew the man, and that he could now se, would be rejoicing and marveling. One would think they would be overwhelmed with joy for the man's healing. He is freed. It is a miracle. It is a thing of beauty. Instead, and argument breaks out.
In fact, it seems that some are upset that he has been healed. They do not understand it, and so they hate what has happened. They see things the way they want to see them. Anything that interferes with that view is to be attacked and besmirched.
Do you see what is happening here? Those who knew the man are in darkness. They are the ones who are blind. They are in darkness and therefore, they are contrary to God and all that God is.
The man who was blind was an outcast because of his blindness. He now is in the light. He is freed. However, he is not one over whom the faithful rejoice. He must be stopped.
They take the man to the Pharisees. That is not a good thing. In fact, it would be something that would strike fear in the heart of someone who had been accused.
The Pharisees are the most devoted men in the city. They study the law of God day and night. Surely these men would rejoice at what they see. The Pharisees certainly must see the good that has occurred. They must see the divine hand of God at work healing the man who was blind. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
Concerning whoever did the healing, some of the Pharisees said, “‘This man is not from God, for he does not observe the Sabbath.’ But others said, ‘How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?’ And they were divided.”
The Pharisees are split and have fallen into a tense argument. They are arguing over what should have been a cause for happiness by any standard. In other words, the Pharisees they, too, are in darkness. They, too, are blinded. They are unable to see the light of God even when it is standing before them.
They can only turn their anger against the man who had been blind, but was now healed. They even pull the man's parents into the argument and accusations. The terrified parents distance themselves. "Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself."
The Pharisees go back to the man. They accuse him even more severely. The man cannot believe his ears. He tells them what happened. He is astounded that these vaulted teachers of Israel are unable to comprehend that someone who does such things has to be from God. Jesus is doing works of light and they refuse to comprehend it. At that the Pharisees are offended to the core. Their dignity and status has just been sullied. They will not be taught by a beggar, and they expel him from the synagogue. In the understanding of the Pharisees, they have just separated him from God. They have cast him out of the light. However, because the Pharisees are lost in darkness they do not see that they are the ones who have separated themselves from God.
I did not have the Epistle read today because of the length of the Gospel. However, here are a few of its lines, "For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light-- [9] for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. [10] Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. [11] Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness."
What we are being told in this long Gospel reading is a story that places before us light and darkness. However, humans easily blind themselves. Unhappy people often seek to make others unhappy so that they are not alone in their self-imposed misery. In order to be freed from our misery, and to keep from inflicting it on others, we first must acknowledge our unhappiness.
In order to see, we first need to acknowledge that we are blind. In seeking forgiveness we first must confess or we will not see our sin. In seeking guidance from God, we first must realize that we are lost. We will then begin to see. Then, we will begin to be healed.
That is one of the basic messages in this Gospel. In it is the basic theme of Lent. We confess so that we might be freed. We are freed so that we might bring the healing light of Christ to those who like us live in need of the light. Amen.