John 9:1-12 (NRSV)
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Chapter 9As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. Verse 2His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Verse 3Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him. Verse 4We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. Verse 5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Verse 6When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man's eyes, Verse 7saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.
Verse 8The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, "Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?" Verse 9Some were saying, "It is he." Others were saying, "No, but it is someone like him." He kept saying, "I am the man." Verse 10But they kept asking him, "Then how were your eyes opened?" Verse 11He answered, "The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.' Then I went and washed and received my sight." Verse 12They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."
Devotion
Jesus looked upon the needs of this man with tenderness and a desire to make him a whole human being. God desires the same for each of us today. Lent is a season for remembering our true purpose and the grace of our baptism, which calls us to wholeness in Christ Jesus. What facets of your life cry out for God’s healing and restoration?
Prayer
Good and gracious God, thank you for seeing my needs, my blindness, my discomfort in this world, even before I can name them. Give me the grace to receive the healing you send and to trust that you desire me to be whole and well in your presence. In Christ’s name I pray. Amen.