What is the most important part of the healing of the blind man story? It is undoubtedly the courage of the blind man and how because of his courage he was brought to full enlightenment and healing. Our healing in Christ will not proceed to completion without personal courage. It does not matter how talented, intelligent or knowledgeable you are, or whether you have more self control than most and your life is in good order or not – without personal courage and willingness to stand up and be a Christian in our post Christian age (a misnomer term, there has never been a “Christian” age, since the world has always been against Christ), you will not be healed of your passions and sins and achieve perfection. The dialogue of the blind man with the Pharisees of his age (every age has them), shows how we incrementally become wiser and sounder in soul as we react to whatever the world brings to is with courage, and with what we know at the time. This is an “every man” kind of story. The blind man had no special talent, nor did he have complete knowledge (his answers showed him growing in knowledge), but he was courageous, and because of this, he gained not only physical eyes, but also spiritual ones. Anyone who is tempted to cave in to the political correctness of this age, which demands certain ways of thinking, speaking and acting, needs to ponder the healing of the blind man in great detail.
Category: 6th Sunday of Pascha – The Blind Man
The Sunday of the Blind Man. What must I do to be saved?
The story of the healing of the blind man who washed in the pool of Siloam is a primer on what we must do and must not do – to be saved. We discuss some very important dogma presented at the beginning of the reading (what does it mean when is says Jesus “passed by” – it is something very specific, personal and important, questions abut sin, what our Lord’s important statement about work during the day means), and then we look at the character of the blind man, and the ruling Jewish elite. A clear pattern emerges of the things WE must do, and the things that God will do it we do these necessary things.
Sunday of the Blind Man. There is no salvation without good character. There is no salvation without courage.
Sunday of the Blind Man There is no salvation without good character. There is no salvation without courage. John 9:1-38 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. Brothers and sisters, during this Paschal season the Gospels have taught about enlightenment and the process… Continue reading Sunday of the Blind Man. There is no salvation without good character. There is no salvation without courage.
Homily:Sunday of the Blind Man. 2010. Audio.
LISTEN NOW If the "LISTEN NOW" link does not work, copy this URL into your browser: http://www.orthodox.net/sermons/pascha-sunday-06_2010-05-09+the-blind-man.m3u If this file does not work for you, try the direct link to the actual mp3 file:http://www.orthodox.net/sermons/pascha-sunday-06_2010-05-09+the-blind-man.mp3 RSS feed of Sunday and some weekday homilies:http://feeds.feedburner.com/OrthodoxChristianSermonsOnTheGospelsEpistlesAndOtherTopics Archive of Audio and text homilies:http://www.orthodox.net/sermons All homilies on the Sunday of the… Continue reading Homily:Sunday of the Blind Man. 2010. Audio.
Homilies about the Sunday of the Blind Man.
All these homilies are in audio, with one in video. Recently an angel has volunteered to start transcibing homilies, so God willing, more will appear in text form.
Questions about the Sunday of the Blind Man
A few of the questions:
Why was the man born blind? The scripture mentions two possibilities.
What is the tradition concerning the “eyes” of the man born blind?
Many of Christ’s healings recounted in the Scriptures consists of TWO healings, sometimes in a different order. What are these, in general terms? Describe these two healings of the blind man, in the order they occurred. Give at least one other example of a “double healing”.
Why were the Jews upset about the healing of the blind man? What were the stated reasons, and what were the real reasons?
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The healing of the blind man shows in a striking way that God gradually illumines a soul. This event was recorded for our benefit, and together with many other events and recountings, helps us to see the diverse manner in which Christ heals and illumines a soul, and also serves as an instruction to us, who are also being gradually illumined, more or less according to our reaction to God’s grace.
The illumination of the soul has been a constant theme since Pascha. Describe at lease three other examples of this most important action of the grace of God, which the church has recently contemplated. What may these recountings teach us?
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The trip of the blind man to the pool of Siloam cannot be overlooked, as it is very instructive to us. What is this trip a model for? Describe the trip, and don’t be so laconic! We must understand the difficulty of this trip, if we are to benefit from it.
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Jesus said to His disciples, after they asked him about the blind man: “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” ((John 9:4)
What is the meaning?