This Gospel story, the healing of the man born blind and the ensuing controversy, parallels and develops the patterns of salvation and revelation we saw in last week’s Gospel. Like the Samaritan woman, the blind man seems to have been in a position of pre-faith — open to faith, but not yet knowing what direction to take or how to profess it. Note that the man does not even ask to be healed — Jesus does it on his own initiative. Restoration of physical sight is thus the beginning of a process that leads to faith rather than the result of an act of faith. Note also the steps of that process: first, uncertainty (vv 11-12) followed by an unformed and indistinct faith —"he is a prophet, there is something special about him" (v 17); then, growth through common sense and struggle with adversity (vv 24-34); finally, Jesus himself leads him to a full profession of faith (vv 35-38). The basic pattern shown here is that Jesus leads one who is open from the natural state of spiritual blindness to faith in him. This is contrasted with the willful lack of sight in others. Some, like the Pharisees, are so blinded by their own interpretations and ideas of self-importance that they fail to recognize the true light. But blind also are those, like the parents, who are afraid to "get involved" because the light is a threat to them — it means giving up something of their own security.

This story speaks to the progress of the elect who are celebrating the second scrutiny today in preparation for their Easter sacramental initiation: the healing touch of Christ is perceived first, then search combined with a struggle against adversity and rejection by the world, finally the full act of faith through baptism (v 13).

This is a prophetic, and perhaps somewhat legendary, account of the beginning of David’s reign through the anointing by Samuel. Later hindsight into God’s dealings with his people would see the definitive hand of God in the events of David’s succession to the throne of Israel. Saul had proven himself unworthy, and so God cut off his line of descendants and chose a new king — David. This account emphasizes that it was truly God’s choice, not anyone else’s, by the consistent rejection of the more promising brothers, and the final selection of the youngest and least of them. Subsequent history was to see David’s reign as pregnant with meaning for the promised Messiah.

This psalm is one of the most familiar to all Christians, and picks up the theme of the shepherd in the first reading. The office of leadership of God’s people, symbolized by a shepherd, is also a symbol of God’s lordship. Response: "The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want."

The theme of light overcoming darkness is one of the most consistently recurring motifs in early Christian literature. The point emphasized by Paul here is that the traces of pagan living should not continue to find a place in the Christian lives of new converts. Baptism introduces an absolute break with the darkness of the past; there can be no question of looking back to past ways and habits. The new light does away with all darkness.

1. What is light? Discuss what light means to you. How is the cure of blindness like growth in faith?

2. The Lord’s ways are not our ways. Discuss how this statement is shown in these readings.