Gospel text for Sunday 18 September 2022

John 16.16-20        “A little while, and you all will not see me, and another little while, and you all will see me.” Then some of his disciples said to one another, “What does this mean that he is saying to us, ‘A little while, and you all will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me; and ‘Because I am going to the Creator’?” They said, “What does he mean by this ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Are you all discussing among yourselves what I meant when I said, ‘A little while, and you all will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you all will see me’? Very truly, I tell you all that you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you all will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. When a woman is giving birth, she has pain because her time has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the tribulation because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. So you all have pain now; but I will see you all again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” 

Reflection        Once again Jesus’ disciples are beside them selves and say to one another, “What does this mean that (Jesus) is saying to us, ‘A little while, and you all will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me…?”  They act as if this is the first time they heard the message of going and coming. The thing is, throughout much of the gospel according to John, Jesus has been preparing the disciples for his going away and coming again. 

Let us take a deep dive into the text. The disciples are reclining after their final Passover Supper with Jesus. Realizing his imminent departure and betrayal, the air is foul with foreboding as we listen to Jesus reassure the disciples. “Do not let your hearts be troubled… I go to prepare a place for you… And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am there you may be also.” (14.1-3)  There it is. The going and the coming. 

Jesus continues to assure the disciples and us that even though he is going we will not be abandoned. “I will ask the Father and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of Truth.” (14.16-17) “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.” (14.25-26) leaving

Jesus’ counsel is unambiguous.  “I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you… “  Going and coming belong together.  Going creates the spaciousness into which the Spirit comes. “When the Spirit of truth comes he will guide you into all truth… he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (16.7, 13.14)  In other words, nothing will be lost to the disciples when Jesus physically departs because they will participate in the mediating agency of the Spirit, the same Spirit of truth that informs Jesus, the same Spirit that informs all of us.  

One of the concerns of the unidentified writer of the Gospel according to John is conveying  the Trinitarian nature of God. There is every chance this is an effort to distinguish the new Christian teachings from the teachings of the Synagogue. The gospel explicitly names the disciples and all of us as participants in the Holy Trinity, effectual members of the Community of God.  Jesus puts it this way,  “I and the Father are one…(10.30)  The one who believes will also do the works that I do, and, in fact, will do greater works than these.(14.12) ) because the Advocate, the Spirit of truth… abides with you and he will be in you.” (14.17) Immediately before being betrayed and arrested Jesus prays for the disciples, “As you Father are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us…” (17.20) Trinity.

We are intimate participants in the Community of Trinity, the Community of God. When we no longer see one another in the physical realm we remain connected by the Spirit’s mediating action of coming and going. It is in and of, with and through community in Trinity that the will, the ways and the works of God are embodied and expressed. The strength and creativity of Father Mother God moves through the agency of the mediating Spirit in intimate and compassionate relationship with all of us “to do even greater works” than Jesus has done. 

This is why Jesus advises the disciples and us,  “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you… When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own...  because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.(16.7, 13-15) We are full participants in the Trinity.

The physical presence of Jesus must go away for the mediating agency of the Spirit to be experienced by us. All the good, grace and generosity we witness in the physical life and ministry of Jesus takes root and residence within us through the agency of the Spirit. Let me be crystal clear. This in no way intends to privilege the spiritual over the physical. The very fact of incarnation, the living Spirit of God embodied in human flesh, sets that misapprehension to rest. Jesus reveals to us the way of being fully human, of consenting to the  living, breathing, healing and redeeming agency of the Spirit made revealed through him in the Community of Trinity. Through the agency of the same Spirit we are meant to be likewise.

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Gospel text for Sunday 21 November 2022

 John 18:33-37        Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Reflection       Pilate works as a procurate (advocate or mouth-piece) for King Herod. If Jesus claims to be a king this poses a threat to the sovereignty of Herod which is intolerable. But there is a peculiar twist, it is not the King’s Roman subjects who bring Jesus to Pilate. It is the punctilious religious Jews who are convicting Jesus. Surely Pilate is scratching his head and wondering, “Am I facing a volatile political situation, or not?” Can you feel his frustration, “Just tell me, are you or are are you not a King?” 

Meanwhile Jesus must be thinking, “This issue about being a king is of no interest to me. What I care about is truth. People who are interested in truth listen to my voice, believe what I say. It has nothing to do with being a king.” And so, as do all wisdom teachers operating from an entirely different level of consciousness than Pilate, Jesus offers a confounding response, “My kingdom is not of this world” which of course crosses Pilate’s eyes and flies right above his head.

Here is the thing. When people truly listen to Jesus they recognize something deeply true within themselves, something that eludes their intellect as well as their social and political posturing for security, safety, esteem, power and control. When people listen to the words of Jesus they recognize something true, something that resonates deep inside them.

No doubt you have had this experience. That time you knew that you knew that you knew something was true even though you could not say why or make a rational argument for it. You knew you were in love? You knew it was time to change jobs or careers? You knew you  had to call a friend? You knew something was going on? You read a sentence in a book or scripture and knew that it was true? This is knowing that exceeds our intellect. It is the kind of knowing experienced when we put our heads in our hearts. 

We hear Jesus’ voice when we plant our intellect in our hearts because rather than issuing kingly policies and employing procurates like Pilate to insure their edicts are followed,  Jesus speaks the mysterious language of wisdom rendered from the heart. Jesus’ humble presence and peaceful actions do not demand attention nor wield threats to any who fail to follow. Jesus lives truth, reveals truth and is available to any who are attracted to truth. 

Which brings us to what is arguably the most famous of Pilate’s questions, “So, what is truth?” (18.38)  I believe truth is Divine Presence dwelling as our core, available in every breath when we put our heads in or hearts. 

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Gospel text for Sunday 15 July 2018

Mark 6:14-29        King Herod heard of Jesus and his disciples, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, “John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.” But others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”

For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.” And he solemnly swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.” She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the baptizer.” Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

      

Reflection      Here is an interesting twist. Both men in this story know truth. John knows Jewish law forbids a man from marrying his brother’s wife. Herod knows John is a righteous and holy man and even likes listening to him speak. What distinguishes John from Herod is not their access to truth but rather their willingness to act on it.

When we dig deep down to the bottom of our souls we know what is right, what it true, even though sometimes we must plow through dung and dross to get there. So the question is, “What does it take to stand up, speak and act on truth?” I believe it requires two things. First we put our faith in God with us rather than in ourselves. If I believed doing this life was up to me alone I would wrap myself in cotton and lock me in a closet. But thanks be to God I know, God is with me no matter what. Second, as people of God we acknowledge there are standards by which we measure our behavior. Does our behavior demonstrate love of God, our neighbor, our enemy? Do our words and our actions lead us toward greater or lesser good for all people? 

Speaking and acting on truth is not neutral. Regardless that social, political and religious  pundits proclaim we live in a “post-truth” context, not all perspectives, positions or actions proceed toward good. As Christians we understand truth is both deeply personal and broadly communal.  Deeply personal because the deepest truth of our self is not other than that of Divine Presence with us. AND  Broadly communal because we affirm the interconnected, interdependence of all creatures and creation. Life is about me and life is about more than me.

It take courage to change not only our minds, but also to act decisively to change the course of events. In a grandstanding moment Herod made a regrettable and ill conceived promise. Full of himself he failed to see his vulnerability to Herodias’ special interest.  Then refusing to appear handled, he chose to act against what he knew was true, and was “deeply grieved.” 

John the Baptizer also faced a choice. Would he keep his mouth shut about Herod’s adulterous relationship and thus protect himself or would he speak truth to power? John chose the latter and we know where it got him because acting on truth exposes human failings and upsets the status quo. 

We dare not get so cynical or news weary, discouraged or afraid that we exchange our standards of truth and right action for the handling and false promises of special interest groups or self-serving governors. It takes courage to speak and act on truth, courage to change the course of events because when we do there is every chance, we will be handed our heads on a platter. So act now!

If you found this post interesting you may want to attend 

“Moving Prayer into Action,”

a forum at Church of the Apostles, on Sunday July 15th at 10:45 am where we will hear stories of oppression, persecution and marginalization from our Muslim, Mexican, Sikh, and Holocaust Surviving neighbors and learn about ways we can put our prayers into action to change the course of events. 

All are welcome to attend. 12111 N La Cholla Blvd, Oro Valley, AZ 

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Gospel text for Sunday 25 February 2018

Mark 8:31-38        Jesus began to teach his disciples that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Reflection       From the time I was twelve or thirteen years old I was certain there was a single capital “T” Truth and my mission in life was to find it. While babysitting I discovered Hermann Hesse’s book describing the spiritual journey of a young man named Siddhartha. It is the story of Gautama Buddha and I grabbed onto it as Truth, until, it was hard to find a Bodi tree in New Jersey, and of course there were the intrusions of school and parents. This is not working for me. So I set down Siddhartha and decide I will find and master Truth in the breathing and bodily postures of Yoga until I realize twisting my body into pretzel forms is not it, so I stop doing yoga and become certain that capital T Truth is hidden in consciousness. This launches my exploration of altered states, which are quite exotic, but at the end of the day they fade away along with the big T Truths I thought I grasped. So I turn to the writing of Lao Tzo, a mythic sixth century Chinese philosopher, poet and writer and nail my hat to that peg for a decade, certain that Truth arises from living in harmony with the Tao, until that too emerges empty. My litany of failed certainty continues today.

Do you see the pattern? First I am certain that I know the way to Truth. I stumble along, life happens and I realize, not so much. And the litany of certainty continues, each chapter whittling itself away, making room for more questions until ever so slowly I have come to realize that in all things I am mostly uncertain. 

The Wisdom of Uncertainty aligns with recent theories of the cosmos that suggest only four percent of the universe is made up of matter and energy that can be measured (this includes all the billions of stars in each of the billions of galaxies.) The remaining ninety-six percent  of all that is is made up of dark matter and dark energy that cannot be seen. ** In other words, the cosmos is rather like God or consciousness, somehow we infer it is there even though we cannot see it. 

Much as religion relies on faith, so too does science when it admits, we cannot base our understanding of the material world on our five senses. Every time we discover something it raises more questions than answers. And there we have it ,  the Wisdom of Uncertainty. When we are certain that we are right, it is like living in a box from which we cannot escape. But when we are liberated from the confines of our certainty box, we are free to move on, to live and grow and ask new questions.

In Mark’s text Peter is certain he is right. His friend, the Messiah, with whom God is please, cannot not possibly“undergo great suffering,  be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.” Peter is certain and Peter is wrong. 

This is especially important to consider as we navigate the Lenten season of self examination, the season that prepares us to receive the ultimate foolishness, “we must lose our lives to gain our lives.” The Wisdom of Uncertainty presents us with questions we all must ask ourselves. About what am I certain that I am right? With whom do I argue to prove I am right? How does my certainty that I am right close my ears and eyes and heart to another person’s perspective? to a more expansive point of view?   What if I am not right? What if I am setting my mind not on divine things but on human things? What if I am wrong? 

 ** https://www.space.com/20930-dark-matter.html accessed 23 Feb 2018.

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Feast of the Epiphany 7 January 2018

Matthew 2:1-12        In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:

`And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for from you shall come a ruler

who is to shepherd my people Israel.’"

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage." When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Reflection      Is it not interesting that King Herod the Great, renowned for his colossal building projects, for expanding the Second Temple in Jerusalem, developing  a commercial seaport in Caesarea, establishing two mighty fortresses and a wealthy aristocracy, is it not interesting that when he hears that strangers, foreigners from the East are looking for a “child who has been born king of the Jews,” he and his chief priests and the Jewish people of Jerusalem are frightened? These are the people who have long awaited the coming of their messiah. Why are they not, like the Gentile wise men, “overwhelmed with joy” and led to worship and pay homage to this Jewish child? Why are they afraid?

Perhaps it is because in their heart of hearts they know the ground on which they stand is shaky. In the depths of their hearts they know the truth, that the messiah, Jesus, is a threat to the privilege and position they enjoy as a result of their misuse of power. Knowing, either consciously or unconsciously, that their power is rooted in self interest and delivered with brutality, Herod and friends can see the handwriting on the wall. Jesus, the messiah, is a challenge to their privilege and position thus they are afraid.

When my father groaned, “Young lady…” I knew I was in trouble and quaked in fear. I have no recollection of how I transgressed this particular time, but his apprisal rings in me clear as a bell. “As long as you do what you know is right and tell the truth, you will have no reason to be afraid.” Though I frequently did not agree with my father, this bit of counsel has informed my life and leads me to speculate that Herod and his cronies must not be doing what they know in their heart of hearts is right. They must not be telling the truth, not even to themselves, or they would not be afraid.

In his Christmas Eve meditation Richard Rohr wrote,“Both love and power are the necessary building blocks of God’s peaceful kingdom on earth. Love utterly redefines the nature of power. Power without love is mere brutality (even in the church), and love without power is only … sentimentality… The Gospel in its fullness holds power and love together, creating new hope and healing for the world.”*

The Feast of the Epiphany celebrates the revelation of God incarnate in humankind, exemplified by Jesus throughout his ministry. In contrast to Herod, Jesus is led by the Spirit of Truth in his heart. He favors the least, the lost and the lonely, raises up the humble, empowers the meek, includes the marginalized, frees the oppressed and welcomes foreigners. Jesus holds “power and love together creating new hope and healing for the world.” 

We are capable of doing likewise because the Spirit of Truth lives within us and when, like the wise men we allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit of Truth, we will exercise power with love and there is every chance we too will be “overwhelmed with joy.”  We will not be afraid. 

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* https://cac.org/breach-menders-2017-12-24/

Gospel text for 22 November 2015

John 18:33-37        Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?" Pilate replied, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here." Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Reflection        Pontius Pilate is a government guy concerned with the black and white of bureaucratic  matters. He needs to know, “Is Jesus a king and therefore a threat to the political kingdom of which Pilate is a part? or not?” But Jesus is not interested in political position. He is interested in truth. Presupposing Pilate's question, "What is truth?" I turn to Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words definition of truth; “objectively, signifying "the reality lying at the basis of an appearance; the manifested, veritable essence of a matter" … ”even as truth is in Jesus," … meaning is not merely ethical "truth," but "truth" in all its fullness and scope, as embodied in Him; He was the perfect expression of the truth; this is virtually equivalent to His statement in John 14.6; “I am the way and the truth and the life.””

“The veritable essence of matter” is truth. This is the real heart of the matter. Truth is Jesus. Jesus is truth, the “veritable essence of matter,” Divine Presence. Truth (Jesus) is hidden from the eyes of those whose interests are defined by worldly position, power and politic. No doubt that is why Pilate goes on to ask Jesus, “What is truth?” (John 18.38) Jesus never answers Pilate. If Pilate cannot see it standing in front of him, nothing Jesus can say will open his ears to hear it. By contrast Jesus sees beyond the things of this world to another reality, a spiritual realm. This alternate reality, the spiritual realm, is that for which he came into the world; to reveal the truth of something more than the political maneuvers of people bound to the kingdom of earth. For those who have eyes to see Jesus reveals the “veritable essence of matter” also understood to be the “uncreated light of God,” the “grace” of God, or the manifestation of living God in numberless shades of grey. 

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Gospel text for Sunday 30th of March 2014

John 9:1-41        As he walked along, Jesus 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 this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man's eyes, saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, "Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?" Some were saying, "It is he." Others were saying, "No, but it is someone like him." He kept saying, "I am the man." But they kept asking him, "Then how were your eyes opened?" He answered, "The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, `Go to Siloam and wash.' Then I went and washed and received my sight." They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see." 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. So they said again to the blind man, "What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened." He said, "He is a prophet."

The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" His parents answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself." His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."

So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, "Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner." He answered, "I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?" Then they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from." The man answered, "Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." They answered him, "You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?" And they drove him out.

Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" He answered, "And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him." Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he." He said, "Lord, I believe." And he worshiped him. Jesus said, "I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind." Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, "Surely we are not blind, are we?" Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, `We see,' your sin remains.”

Reflection     Humanity is blind from birth. This is our human condition. We don’t know who and whose we are. It is no wonder we do not know who God is until God spits onto dirt and smears mud on our well scrubbed faces. For a few of us one turn with mud on our jowls opens our eyes. For most of us, we need more than one slap of mud in the face before we recognize, we are blind.

I believe this is the point of John’s story about the man born blind. Gaining or regaining sight takes place over time in a series of steps or stages that are rather like having mud in the face. Even if we are one of the few who have a mind shattering religious or healing experience (like the man born blind who was made to see) it takes time for us to understand and integrate the consequences of that experience.

The man born blind encountered Jesus, followed his instructions and for the first time in his life he could see. All he knew was a series of facts; “A man called Jesus made mud, spread it on (his) eyes…” and told him to,  “Go to Siloam and wash.” Which he did and “received (his) sight.” The man had no idea where Jesus came from or how this happened. 

From physical blindness the once blind man moved by stages to a well reasoned and compelling explanation of who Jesus is concluding, “If this man were not from God he could do nothing.” But Jesus wants more than physical healing or even clever argument for the once blind man. Jesus wants the man to experience spiritual transformation and that will require the once blind man to experience Jesus as the revelation of God’s presence on earth. So Jesus asks him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 

Again the once blind man admits he doesn’t understand. (More mud on the face.) “Who is the Son of Man?” Then, just as Jesus did with the Samarian woman at the well in last Sunday’s gospel text, Jesus admits his identity, “ “You have seen him and the one speaking with you is he.” The once blind man immediately believed and worshipped Jesus. His physical sight, his cognitive insight and his  spiritual eyes were all opened. Not only could he see the physical presence of Jesus, because of his personal experience with Jesus he could grasp the truth of divinity revealed in humanity. 

At every step along the way the man admitted his “not knowing,” rather like having mud in the face. It was into his “not knowing” that Jesus reached and invited the once blind man to deeper and more expansive sightedness. Like the blind man, each of us has our own blind spots. But this is not bad news. It is in fact the upside down kind of good news that Jesus offers. Jesus turns our way of seeing upside down by showing us the places where we are most likely to encounter God;  our weakness, our blemishes, our flaws and our “not knowing.” We encounter God in our inabilities, our disabilities and our vulnerabilities because this is precisely where God does God’s work. 

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Gospel for Sunday 20 May 2012

John 17.6-19               Looking up to heaven, Jesus prayed, "I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth."