“Lord, I want to see.”
Listening to the Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you will renew the face of the earth.
Lord, by the light of the Holy Spirit you have taught the hearts of your faithful. In the same Spirit help us to relish what is right and always rejoice in your consolation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Listening to the Word
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.
Reflection
Dear brothers and Sisters, in the Gospel, Jesus heals a man who was blind from birth. We might think that there is only one blind person in the story. But a deeper reading of the narrative reveals that there are four kinds of blindness present.
First, the blindness of the disciples—the blindness of judgment.
When they see the blind man, they ask Jesus: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?” Their question reflects the common Jewish belief that suffering is a direct punishment for sin. Instead of asking how to help the suffering man, they search for someone to blame. Jesus rejects this way of thinking.
Sometimes we also fall into this kind of blindness. When we see people suffering—those who are poor, struggling, or marginalized—we quickly judge them. Lent invites us to open our eyes and move from judgment to compassion.
Second, the blindness of the parents and neighbors—the blindness of fear.
Although they know that the man was healed, they refuse to testify clearly that Jesus performed the miracle. Their fear of being expelled from the synagogue prevents them from speaking the truth. Their blindness is not physical but moral: fear and self-interest silence their witness.
This kind of blindness can also happen to us. There are moments where we know what is right, we know the truth of the Gospel, but we remain silent because we fear criticism and rejection. Lent challenges us to overcome this blindness by choosing courage over fear.
Third, the blindness of the Pharisees—the blindness of pride
Even though they see the miracle, they refuse to believe. Since Jesus healed on the Sabbath, they conclude that He must be a sinner. Instead of rejoicing that a man has received sight, they focus on the fact that Jesus healed on the Sabbath. Their rigid interpretation of the law prevents them from recognizing the presence of God. When our hearts are closed, even the clearest signs of God’s presence cannot open our eyes.
Finally, the man who was born blind—the sight of faith.
Ironically, he is the only one who truly comes to see. Though physically blind at first, he gradually grows in faith. Notice that he first calls Jesus “the man,” then he says “He is a prophet,” and finally he calls Jesus Lord: “I do believe, Lord.” His journey shows that true sight is not in the eyes, but in the heart. It is not physical but spiritual.
Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus tells the blind to wash in the Pool of Siloam. The Gospel even explains that Siloam means “Sent.” This detail is very important. Before the man can see, he must go, wash, and be purified. His healing involves obedience, trust, and cleansing. In many ways, this is the meaning of the Lenten season.
The Gospel tells us that the blind man becomes a witness. He courageously testifies about Jesus before the Pharisees. This is also our mission. After experiencing the mercy of Christ, we too are sent, like the blind man who was washed in Siloam. We are sent to bring to others the same love, mercy, and compassion that we ourselves have received from Jesus. Perhaps we suffer from many kinds of blindness. So, during this Lenten season, let us make the humble prayer: “Lord, I want to see.”
Reflection Questions
Gospel Reflections
Allowing Jesus to Change Us
Who Is Jesus for Me? From Encounter to Mission
