In Ravenna, Italy, a sacred destination to see is Saint Apollinare Nuovo Church where visitors come to see its ceiling mosaic of heaven. The problem is it is so dark in the church that visitors have to pay 300 lira, about 25 cents, for the mosaic to be illuminated for a few moments. Most visitors don’t pay. They just grumble in the dark. They want to see heaven for free. The mosaic depicts the Lord sitting amid a blindingly green paradise of eternal spring with white sheep grazing all around. Suddenly there is the sound of a coin and the light comes on, another coin, light again, another coin, more light, yet another coin, light still. The narrator goes to see who is doing this and discovers a man in a wheelchair, bent over. A female guide is looking up, then speaking in his ear, over and over. The man is blind, but he wants to see.In Mark’s gospel, there is a story about a blind man. In fact, Mark has two such stories. The first is of a man to whom Jesus gives sight, but Jesus’ first attempt only lets him see people that “look like trees walking,” so Jesus touches him again and his sight is complete. Learning to see, especially to gain insight, takes time. That is why the man’s healing was not instantaneous.
However, John’s gospel also has a story about a blind man but with a different emphasis. First, Jesus says the man is not blind because of sin. Jesus counters one of the major attitudes of his day that all illness, disease, or disabilities are the result of sin. Jesus heals the man, no questions asked. Yet what follows in the rest of the passage is an account of various individuals arguing whether this really is the one born blind, or whether he truly was blind, or whether he truly can see at this point. There is not one word of rejoicing and praise to God for the gift of sight, except from the man himself.
How often do we fail to offer gratitude to God? There might be a number of important issues we do not see clearly. We are experts at grumbling and wasting lots of our time and energy attacking each other and each other’s ideas (John’s point), instead of trying to gain insight and clarity of vision (Mark’s point).
What are some of your issues? Catholic school closings, health care, bankruptcy, war with in-laws, disability, social security, prices at the pump, and care for the earth. Perhaps, it is time to stop trying to win arguments, or protect our investments, or make as little change as possible. It is time to care for what God has placed in our care.
God prays for us as we reflect: “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight.” (Psalm 19:14)
Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who feel better getting their hands in the soil and getting a little dirt under their fingernails. Coming up with a plan to teach our young people the “good news” will take clarity and creativity. Help us to be grateful for the many gifts of this earth and get our hearts into caring for God’s "little ones." Only God can create, but you and I can heal and mend.
