Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of the 5th Week in Lent: Year 1
Morning, Psalms 121, 122 and 123; Evening, Psalms 124, 125 and 126;
Jeremiah 25:8 to 17; Romans 10:1 to13; John 9:18 to 41:
“The man answered, ‘Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.” (John 9: 30)
As you can see, I want to continue with our John Gospel reading. This Gospel story of the man born blind fascinates me. He stands up to the Pharisees knowing that he could be thrown out of the synagogue. His parents had the same fear. The difference is, he’s never experienced the sights of the synagogue. You can’t miss what you have never had.
This once blind man mocks the Pharisees by asking them if they too want to become disciples of Jesus. He is eventually thrown out of the synagogue. Jesus finds him and explains to him who Jesus is, the one who is speaking to him in the moment. At this point in his life, he has never seen nor heard more clearly in his life. The same is true for us when we first come to believe.
This truly is “Amazing Grace.” We too were blind but now we see. We were lost but now we are found. No one is beyond the reach of our Lord Jesus. It is especially sad when the people responsible for giving others hope, the clergy, be they Pharisee, Rabbi, Imam, priests or any kind of faith leader, refuses to see what is happening right in front of their eyes. We need to realize that God will act through whom God will act. We can’t pick for God, God picks for God.
There are still know-it-all religious leaders who resist the wondrous works of God. Think about this man, Jesus didn’t “restore” his sight. Our Lord Jesus “gave him sight for the first time!” Many of us today are in need of a first-time sight when it comes to having unconditional love for our neighbors, all of our neighbors.
I consider myself a Christian, American cowboy, who walks the Anglican, Episcopal, path. I only realized this about myself when my Lord Jesus opened my eyes about myself some forty years ago. And yes, for me, this is an astonishing thing! You too can be your most loving self regardless of the color of your skin. Work with our Lord Jesus as did this man born blind. Jesus will open your eyes to the life that best suits you. You will then have real vision for the first time. Thank You Lord Jesus.
Today we remember William Augustus Muhlenberg, Priest (April 8, 1877) and his information may be found at: William Augustus Muhlenberg. And also, we remember Ann Ayres, Religious (February 9, 1896) and her information may be found at: Anne Ayers.
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
Let us pray: (again, my own words from yesterday)
O Lord God, open our eyes to see Your hand at work all around us. Reveal to us Your Presence in our daily lives and aid us in informing others about Your marvelous works done in love for our benefit through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
onewhoponders 