My stubborn heart often has a hard time accepting the reality of things. For example, if someone hurts me, I will hold on to the fabricated, idealistic version of that person in my head in order to reject that the circumstances of the relationship may have changed. If I am doing poorly in a class, my mind will quickly shut out the failure and focus on the other classes in which I am doing well, until I forget about the situation altogether. I catch myself doing it daily to cope with each small disruption of my peace and comfort—why? Because if I accept the truth and confront reality, I am subsequently called to change.
Today’s Gospel revolves around one central question: "Do you believe in the Son of Man?” (John 9:35)
The Pharisees ask a series of doubtful questions after the blind man’s sight is restored, a miracle he immediately accredits to Jesus. Yet, none of the Pharisees’ questions seek out the truth, as the Pharisees had already decided that “this man is not from God.”(John 9:16) Instead, their comments condemn and threaten the resounding faith of a man who knows his life can never be the same, because once he was blind but now can see.
He is altered by an encounter with Truth, Himself, confronted by the reality that the Messiah has come and that His coming changes the human story, forever.
However, sometimes, I fall into the role of the Pharisees. I am not always sure that I want to see and know the truth, because if I do, my world is often turned upside down. If I choose to follow the God who gives sight to the blind, I have to be willing to let go of my blindness. I need the dependency on the Holy Spirit to leave the grave behind and the courage to not live in the shadow. I have to renounce mediocrity and the lie that the Father is not who He says He is, but instead believe that He is a God who desires our complete healing and restoration. I need the humility to proclaim that it is not and never will be of my own doing, but instead, give total praise to Jesus as the man in the Gospel does.
What would your day look like if you believed that He is a miracle-working God?
Sarah Erickson is a politics pre-law major at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Born and raised in Arizona, she finds great joy in mountains, lattes, American history, and the piano. She is constantly discovering Christ's wild love in the little things. You can find out more about her here.
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