by Fr. Tommy Lane
That poor blind man had a tough life before he met Jesus. Not only was he blind, but he also had to deal with a society that was blind in many ways though it did not know it was blind. That blindness of society was the bias and prejudice towards him simply because he was blind. (In the longer version of today’s Gospel) Jesus’ disciples asked who sinned, the blind man or his parents that he was born blind (John 9:2). Even after he had his sight restored, the Pharisees said he was totally born in sin (John 9:34). The blind man’s eyes could see the light for the first time, but the Pharisees were in the darkness of prejudice. The blind man had been enlightened by Jesus, but the Pharisees remained blind in their bias.
Jesus healed this man during a Jewish festival called Tabernacles (7:1-10:19). During that feast, four giant candelabras were lit in a courtyard of the temple in Jerusalem remembering the flame of fire that guided the Hebrews by night in the desert from Egypt to Canaan. It is said those candelabras were so big that they lit up the whole of Jerusalem by night (m. Suk. 5:2-3). Of course Jerusalem was small then. During that festival, with their special light every evening, Jesus cured the blind man, giving him light. Twice before curing him, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12; 9:5) Their giant candelabras lit up Jerusalem every evening, but Jesus said he is the light of the whole world. The light their giant candelabras gave was nothing compared to the light Jesus gives and Jesus proved that by curing the blind man.
There are all sorts of lights around us demanding attention, telling us they have something we want or need or that they are the answer for us. But just as the giant candelabras in Jerusalem were nothing compared to Jesus, all the lights around us are nothing compared to Jesus. Jesus is the light of the world. Jesus is the answer.
We all need more of the light of Jesus. We all need Jesus to open our eyes more, to let more of his light into our lives, to help us see more as he sees. It is not a big secret how we can receive this light of Jesus. Pray more. Pray as much as possible every day. Prayer brings us in contact with Jesus and allows his light to enlighten us. Reading good material is another way. The best, of course, is the Bible. The Bible has been described as a love letter from God to us. I always recommend starting with the Gospels. As well as the Bible, there are many good Catholic books to help us. Our mind is bit like a sponge; we can fill lit with good material or bad material. A book I purchased recently is From Atheism to Catholicism: Nine Converts Explain Their Journey Home. Each in their own distinctive and unique way found Jesus and received the light of Jesus.
One of those nine is Joseph Pearce, who briefly describes his journey from atheism to becoming Catholic. He grew up in England and became a leading member of a white supremacist organization and was inciting people to hatred. He was very anti-Catholic which he learned from his father who referred to Catholics as “bead rattlers” in reference to the Rosary. His anti-Catholicism deepened when he traveled to Northern Ireland where he joined the Orange Order (which he describes as an anti-Catholic secret society) and fraternized with leaders of the UDA and UVF (terrorist groups). In late 1985 he was sentenced to a year in prison in London for inciting racial hatred. During his trial the previous week, someone gave him a rosary. He was at such a low ebb as he began the prison sentence that he began to rub the beads of the rosary. He writes:
I did not know the mysteries of the Rosary or even the basic prayers that the devotion comprised. Undaunted, I began to fumble the beads and mumble inarticulate prayers. It was the first time I had ever prayed, and the results were nothing short of astonishing. The eyes of faith began to open, albeit with a vision that was more misty than mystical, and a hand of healing began to caress and to soften my hardened heart. Although it would take a further three years before I would finally be received into the Catholic Church, I was taking the first faltering steps in the right direction. (page 94)
Books that he read began to lead him to Catholicism—books by Solzhenitsyn and especially G. K. Chesterton. He wrote that he still gives thanks to God for giving him Chesterton and gives thanks to Chesterton for giving him God. Finally in 1989 he was received into the Catholic Church.
The Pharisees in the Gospel were in the darkness of prejudice. Joseph Pearce was in the darkness of anti-Catholic prejudice and racial hatred. There are all sorts of lights around us demanding attention, telling us they have something we want or need, or that they are the answer for us. For a time, Joseph Pearce followed those lights but through Chesterton he began to make his way towards the light of the world, Jesus. The blind man in the Gospel said to Jesus he believed him and he worshipped him. We believe you Jesus and we worship you.
© Fr. Tommy Lane 2023
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
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