Lent Devotional April 8, 2025

Scripture

John 9:18-41

18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28 Then they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 30 The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?” And they drove him out.

35 Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not blind, are we?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.

Devotion

The Rev. Bill Quinn ’21

“Spunky Faith”

There is humor in the Bible, and John 9:27 contains a snippet of sarcasm worthy of 2025:

“He answered, ‘I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?’”

“Do you want to become his disciples too?” Awesome!

This guy has some spunk, and shouldn’t we all possess such spunk when appropriate?

John 9 is singularly devoted to the healing of the blind man—a miracle worthy of throwing a party; instead, the Pharisees stage an inquisition.

After interrogating the man who had been blind since birth, the Pharisees summon his parents who, fearing expulsion from the synagogue, implement damage control by throwing the matter back into their son’s lap.

Maybe if the interrogators press him a little harder with manipulative questions, they will receive their desired answers!

The formerly blind man doesn’t give an inch, and in fact, he pushes back.

“I have told you already and you did not listen.”

He is fearless. They can’t fire him—he’s already quit; they just haven’t gotten the e-mail yet. Then, for good measure, he throws their incredulity back at them: “Do you want to become his disciples, too?”

The fear of change in the authorities is no surprise. Institutions and their beneficiaries aren’t interested in disrupting a status quo that works well for them. The fear of retribution in the parents is understandable: the synagogue centered community is all they’ve ever known. In their economy, expulsion = death.

But the blind man’s life has been radically changed: “One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see” (v. 25). This Lent, we have a choice: be a skeptical Pharisee, a terrified parent, or a spunky disciple asking others if they, too, would like to see.

Prayer

God, open my eyes like those of the blind man, so that I see your glory, faithfully moving beyond whatever ails me. Give me the assuredness of faith shown by him, to stand boldly in the face of doubt, and to remember to invite others on this journey of discipleship. Amen.

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