Jesus choses the Blind, Lame and sick

IV Lent A John 9:1-38 As Jesus passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. Jesus said, “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world. He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes, and said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” — which means Sent —. So, he went and washed and came back able to see. His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?” Some said, “It is, “but others said, “No, he just looks like him.” He said, “I am.” They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees. Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath. So, then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.” So, some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he does not keep the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a sinful man do such signs?” And there was a division among them. So, they said to the blind man again, “What do you have to say about him, since he opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.” They answered and said to him, “You were born totally in sin, and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out. When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered and said, “Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” He said, “I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him. Then Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind.”

Today’s Gospel begins with Jesus’ disciples asking why the man had born blind. They think that it is either because of his sin or because of the sins of his parents. Jesus says it is neither. The man wasn’t born blind because of anyone’s sin, but rather “so that the works of God might be made visible through him.” This man was blind, unable to see and therefore in Jesus’ time he would been seen as a reject, as someone with no value or little importance. Blind people in the time of Jesus were reduced to being beggars, they couldn’t work so people felt that they had no contribution to make to the society. But precisely because of this, this blind man was an instrument that God’s work would be made visible through him. I like to think of the contributions that I can make to the society and most especially to the Church. I think now that the Redemptorists of Mexico and the US are working together more closely I have a great contribution to make because not only do I know both languages I know both cultures. I think of my doctorate in counseling and the contributions that I can make as a counselor in the church. My own skills of leadership and the many good things that people might say about me. But it is those things that bring glory to God, rather it is my brokenness and blindness that give glory to God. Today is the feast of the Redemptorist St. Clement Hofbauer. A man who by the accounts of this world was considered a failure. He was born in what is now the Chech Republic in a very poor family. He desired to be a priest, but his family was too poor, so he got a job as a baker in a local monastery and learned theology on his own. No diocese or religious order would accept him, at 35 in those days he was too old. So he traveled to Rome thinking he would live as a hermit but he met and asked to join the Redemptorists. By the grace of God, he was accepted together with his friend Thadeus Hubl. In October of 1784 he entered congregation and in March of the next year he professed his vows and was ordained a priest. In just a few months he was sent north to begin the Redemptorists on the other side of the Alps. Something that would never happen in this day and probably not very often in his day either. The 18th century was the time of enlightenment. The Catholic Church and religious orders in particular were not well thought of, in the face of unbelievable opposition Clement opened a monastery in Warsaw and quickly the place was a center of activity. The monastery was an old factory and Clement used every square inch of the place: there was social outreach to the poor, continuous service in the Church. Soon many young men joined the congregation, and it became a house of formation as well. Clement knew real success, maybe too much success so in 1808, less than 20 years after he began the foundation Napoleon closed the Church down. Clement traveled around northern Europe seeking a permanent foundation for the congregation. He would open a place begin services but in a short time the government would shut the place down. He finally ended up in Vienna and with no permanent foundation he served as chaplain for the Ursuline sisters. He died on this day in 1820 and on the 16th of March, he received a letter for the King giving him a Church and a permanent foundation in Vienna. His failures are what gave glory to God. It is in our brokenness that we are able to do more to build the kingdom of God. Right now, in our Rectory Fr. Luis is dying of cancer. He cannot do much and he needs someone to care for him in all his needs but quite possibly he is doing more to give glory to God then many people who are busy doing many things. There is a contrast in today’s Gospel. The blind and those who think they can see. People of faith and those without faith. Those who think that they know everything, and those who know that they don’t know it all. People who come to Jesus; and those who criticize Jesus. If we recognize our brokenness and admit to our blindness Jesus will do great things through us. If we boast of how great we are we will remain in blindness and be able to do nothing.