40 days to (celebrate) victory.

The path from darkness to light

This passage is known as “Healing of the one Born Blind”, but it is so much more, for the evangelist describes the inner path that a lost man carries on through darkness until he meets Jesus, “Light of the World” (John 9:5).

What is the path from darkness to Light? What are its stages?

1.  Surpass the “Why?” that doubts love.

When facing suffering a lot of questions arise: Why? Who’s fault was it? Who sined? Where is God? And the doubt settles in!

But evil does not come from God. If you then, despite your evil nature, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! Matthew 7:11. God only gives us what is good, and He does not want evil, as you don’t!

2. Surpass the “How?” of mere curiosity.

Another great temptation is to get interested in the “how the miracle happened”. This “how?” can be a barren mark of curiosity or a doubt in accepting what can’t be seen by the eyes.

Sometimes staying in the “how?” blocks the really important question: “If this happened, then what does it mean? What implication does this have in my life?” This was the path of the blind!

3. Accept obedience in the average things.

One day Jesus entered the life of the blind man.

When he had said this, he spat on the ground, made a paste with the saliva, and smeared the paste on the eyes of the blind man. (John 9:6,7)

The blind man has so much need that he allows that He works his eyes. He does not know who He is, but trust His Healing Strength. Following His directions, simple and trivial (wash the eyes in the Siloé pool), for the first time, he starts to see. The meeting with Jesus and obedience to His Word have transformed his life.

4. Accept growth and move forward in faith.

– To the neighbours that see him transformed. It is the same, but is seems like another. The man explains his experience: “a man called Jesus healed me” (John 9:11)

– To the Pharisees, knowledgeable in religion and that ask him all kinds of explanations about Jesus. He talks of his experience: “I do not know whether he is a sinner. But one thing I do know: I was blind, and now I am able to see.” (John 9:25). They ask him what he thinks of Jesus, and he says what he feels: “He is a prophet” (John 9:17). What he received was so good that the man could only have come from God.

– Jesus does not abandon those who love Him and search for Him. “When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found him” (John 9:35).

When Jesus meets with that man that nobody seems to understand, He only asks one question: “Do you Believe in the Son of Man?” (John 9:35).  The beggar is willing to believe but is more blind than ever: “Who is he, sir, so that I may believe in him?” (John 9:36). Jesus tells him: “You have seen him,” said Jesus, “and he is the one who is speaking to you.” (John 9:37).  To the blind the eyes of the soul are open. He prostrates himself before Jesus and says: “I do believe, Lord.” (John 9:38).

The blind was thus healed two times of his blindness; one physical and another spiritual. Only listening to Jesus and allowing us to be interiorly guided by Him will we walk to a fuller and humbler faith; we walk the path from darkness to light!

SFS

– Ask yourself: “What are my blind spots, my darkness?

– Declare: “God, Father, I believe that you are good and want no evil.”

– Obey: What God says to do, do it!