One thing I do know (Jn 9:1-34)

Joshua once met a man born blind. His blindness was neither his fault nor that of his parents. With mud made from dust and his own saliva Joshua covered the man’s eyes and commanded him to go wash in a nearby pool. Sure enough as soon as he washed he could see. Impossible! That would be the cry of the people of his day as they met the man they had known as blind, in his new state. In an attempt to deal with this obvious departure from the ordinary some dismissed him outright as a mere look-alike. Easy explanation requiring no acceptance of the supernatural. Well, not quite! That theory was quickly thrown out by the man’s parents. Once it became clear that something extraordinary had happened the religious “experts” set out to investigate it. Their efforts seemed almost noble as they questioned every detail of the story in efforts to expose the “truth”. Finally, though they could not deny what had happened, they declared authoritatively that the means by which this thing had occurred was not lawful. The perpetrator of the act of healing had to be a sinner and that was that! As for the man who had been healed, when asked what he thought about the whole thing his response was: “Whether he is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see.”

Some things are common to all people. First, like that blind man we all grope in a dark and fearful world with a blindness that is not physical. Second, in a world of uncertainty and multiple opinions, every man knows at least one thing for sure. It may be fear, loneliness, emptiness, doubt, guilt or shame. Though the monster that haunts him may appear different for each man, in essence it is the same. And so also is the remedy. Joshua offers a solution that seems too simple – mud and water in one case, confession and repentance in others. Yet those who have stood at Joshua’s well in desperation and been washed by its water know another thing for sure: Relief! For some it comes in an instant and for others by degrees but it always comes to those who seek it. Sweet life changing relief that banishes fear, fills up the emptiness, brings faith and hope and casts out guilt and shame. There is no explaining or rationalizing it away. It has only one source, cannot be falsified, cannot be bought or bargained for and cannot be earned. Once cleansed, the darkness inside yields to light and all the fearful shadows depart. Though appearing the same on the outside, the man who now sees is a new man. Of course there will always be the skeptics who would dismiss the obvious with all manner of explanations. Others, though acknowledging the transformation, are loath to acknowledge the author of the change. And so with many such devices they deny both themselves and their listeners the privilege of healing. As for the one whose eyes have been opened however, there’s only one thing to say: One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see.