1. Jesus and the Man Born Blind

Today we enter into the period of Advent, during which we commemorate the Nativity and keep in mind His second coming after the Ascension. Jesus’ first arrival on the earth was an extraordinary event, unlike anything in History. It is proof that God’s work will be finally revealed in humans. John, the Gospel writer grasped the fact this way: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him"¡ÊJohn 3:16-17).

Since then, through the encounter with God’s Son, numerous people have become believers and followers. Generations of Christians have passed on the good news of the Gospel about God’s saving grace and Christ’s sacrifice for our sin, even to this present day. With this thought in mind, we will reflect upon the healing miracles of Jesus, by reading the episode of a man born blind.

The Scripture reading describes the scene where Jesus was walking dawn a path in Jerusalem, when he came upon a man born blind from birth (John 9:1). Blind from birth suggests the disability was not caused by accident or illness. It seems that our life is very often pre-determined, and we are fated with both good and bad, without reason. Traditionally in Japan, many of us think a disability or illness was caused by something beyond our human comprehension, and accept it with passive resignation. Perhaps the wisdom behind this thinking is to relieve the distraught feelings of parents and family.

Jesus’ disciples thought in a similar way because His disciples asked: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2). Jewish people of that era thought physical problems occurred because of sins committed by the suffering person or their families. But Jesus rejects such a theory and sought to teach: “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life” (John 9:3).

He said the handicap was given by God, not to punish, but to reveal God’s work through the disabled man. In other words being born blind was not the result of any curse or sinful conduct. Rather, it was meant to show that even the life of a blind man was meaningful. Jesus did not seek causes and reasons for his blindness. Instead He remarked about the significance of this man’s disability, which would ultimately change him into a missionary. The blind man would give testimony to his faith in Jesus for the rest of his life.

Jesus continues in the following verse: “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4). The work of him who sent me suggests Jesus’ coming death on the Cross. That was His destiny fixed by God. Jesus accepts it, not as inevitable, but as a mission of the Lord’s will. Therefore, Jesus prayed at Gethsemane this way: “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:36).

2. From Physical Healing to Spiritual Salvation

The story continues: “Having said this, he (Jesus) spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing” (John 9:6-7). The situation calls for both physical healing and theological insight. The healing is all Jesus’ initiative, the blind man has not even spoken in the story so far.

The following verses introduce the controversy over violation of the Sabbath law: “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath” (John 9:16). It seems the crowd thought it was more important to keep the sabbath than to heal a disabled man. The Pharisees could not deny the fact that the man’s eyes were opened. Nonetheless, they would not admit Jesus was God’s son: “Give glory to God,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner” (John 9:24). The authorities insist on their traditional definitions of sin (v.16), but the man points to the newness that came from his encounter with Jesus.

Despite the menacing tone of the Pharisees, the man answered: “Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing” (John 9:32-33). Consequently, the Pharisees, with anger, expelled the man from the synagogue and the community. When Jesus heard about this, he said to the man, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe” (John 9:35-38).

Why did Jesus dare heal this man on a sabbath day? Such an act was strictly prohibited and banned. And this man was born blind so there was no urgent reason to heal him immediately. Jesus could have performed his miracle on the following day, for example. If Jesus had done so, he would not have been accused. But He did it on the very Sabbath day. Because: “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4).

Even though He knew that violation of the law would put His life in danger, Jesus cured the sick and disabled. That action resulted in many cases of conversion of those who had not known him before. Those healing acts drew attention to himself and peole began to recognise Him. When the man who was cured of his blindness kneeled down before Him and said: “Lord, I believe,” he was in fact witnessing to Jesus’ divinity.

If the cured man was afraid of getting involved and left the scene without provoking the Pharisees, he probably would not have been thrown out of the community. But he remained where he encountered Jesus. The encounter led him to believe in Jesus’ identity, the Son of God. The Bible gives no record concerning the healed man after this event. But we would like to believe that he testified of Jesus’ healing power, and spread the good news of Jesus’ saving grace during his life time. His eyes were opened not only physically, but also spiritually, and that fact allowed him to envision his future mission.

Thus Jesus changed this man’s destiny from a life of darkness to a mission of testimony and praise for God. Jesus’ closing phrase of this episode is today’s invocation verse: “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind” (John 9:39). Sight and blindness are not defined by one’s physical sight, but by one’s openness to the revelation of God in Jesus.

3. Divine Intervention

Japanese Christian poet Shimazaki Mitsumasa was born disabled, suffering from an imperfect formation of the spine. It caused disorder in neuronal communication between the brain and body organs, leading to malfunctions of the latter. Actually today’s medical technology allows one to know whether there is any abnormality of the spine in the fetus. Shimazaki was a protester against pre-birth dagnosis of embryos. He gave a speech to the International Congress on Spinal disorders in Bonn, Germany, 1997. The speech represented his lifelong story of struggle from his birth.

He talked about his disability which prevented him from pursuing a normal school life with other children. The difficulties of studying alone at a very slow pace. He began to write poems. He was strongly concerned about pre-birth diagnosis of embryos because the undesired results might push parents to choose abortion, the easy way to avoid future problems. Even though he admitted that the life of a disabled person is very hard, he insisted on the significance and dignity of a life given by God, and realized through a mother’s pain. He said he did not regret being born. He thought the right and importance of human life must be considered seriously and respected in all communities, regardless of each person’s physical and mental condition. At the conclusion of his speech to the International Congress on Spinal disorders, he read aloud: “We all endure the weight of life, given beyond our own will.”

When we suffer or face harsh conditions and difficulties we have a tendency to look for the meaning of life. Painful circumstances sometimes cause us to doubt and wonder about the future. Through such uncertainty and reflection we come to recognise that unhappy events and incidents are given by God, as a meaningful experience. Instead of complaining about his life, Shimazaki accepted it positively and lived actively as a protester of pre-diagnosis of embryos.

Jesus also accepted His destiny as a life mission. The man born blind did not escape from the scene, nor did Shimazaki. Healing illness and disability is not the unique aim of God’s will. Sometimes we are tested and tried in order to find meaning and significance in our life. A disability, like pain and suffering, draws one closer to God. Rich, poor, abled or disabled, educated or not, there is no discrimination in Christ. Through faith and trust, He will fashion and mould us into a display of His great work. Advent is the very time when God’s work is revealed before us. So much so, we wait here together for the coming of Jesus, the one who changes fate, events which are beyond our control, into God-given holy missions.