The Gospel for the Fourth Sunday in Lent consists of selections from John 9:1-41. This is the story of Jesus giving sight to a man blind from birth. This healing on the Sabbath upsets the Pharisaic authorities in Jerusalem, and it leads to a hostile interrogation of the man, his parents, and Jesus. The man is delighted and grateful, his parents try to avoid involvement, and Jesus rebukes the Pharisees.
One could draw several points from this passage, but let us note the importance of this event in the development of Christ's ministry. Jesus tells the disciples that His time is limited and that He must work while He has time (John 9:4). He is called to do good while there is an opportunity, but His opponents try to intimidate those who benefit from His work. The opponents also show their hostility toward Jesus, a hostility that will soon lead to His death.
The world has always been filled with opposition to Jesus Christ and His work. Some people try to intimidate those who follow Jesus and benefit from His healing work. These opponents really do not like Him. In a sense, they choose to be spiritually blind. They prefer evil and oppose goodness. They seek every opportunity to discredit Jesus and His followers, and they wish to destroy Him and grasp more power for themselves. This dynamic is not confined to first-century Jerusalem or the ancient Pharisees. It has existed down through Christian history, and many in our decadent age still put their party loyalties and rules above Christ's mission.
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