Breaking the Word

GOSPEL READING: JOHN 4: 43-54

Here the miracle takes place from a distance. Usually Jesus touches the sick or the dying person, or at least the sick person would be at close vicinity. The healed person would see Jesus or hear him or touch him etc. Here the sick person is far away (it seems to be a day’s journey).

Jesus is addressing a crowd which did not believe in him (that a prophet has no honor in his native place). The royal official also did not express his faith in him. Only when the miracle took place (it was recognized after a day) the whole household believed in him. Here in this story even faith is not required to do the miracle. Only God does so (as he created things out of nothing and when there was no one even to believe in him he created the world). God’s work precedes even faith.

இயேசுவின் புதுமைகள் கடவுளின் படைப்பைப் போன்றது. நம்பிக்கை கொள்ளும் மனிதனைப் படைக்கும் முன்னரே இறைவன் மற்றவற்றை படைக்கிறார். மனிதனின் நம்பிக்கை கூட தேவையில்லை இறைவனின் செயல்களுக்கு. இறைவனின் செயல் எவ்வொன்றும் புதுமையே. இறைவனின் செயல் காலம்> இடம்> பொருள் இவற்றிற்கெல்லாம் அப்பாற்பட்டது.

GOSPEL READING: (Jn 9:1-41)

Jesus healed a man born blind. Since blindness was something negative (evil) it was linked to sinfulness. Jews believed that sickness, blindness were all due to sin. So they tried to see the cause of sin or the person who could have been the cause in order that they might do reparation. But for Jesus every occasion and every situation was an opportunity to do the work of God and bring the presence of God.

Pharisees were not able to see God making himself present in Jesus. They were having just the opposite view. They saw evil everywhere and they saw sin in every action and every man was sinful for them. In stead Jesus saw God in everything and in every person. Pharisees saw God only in the religion and in religious practices (Sabbath). They could not come out of this mind set.

The man who was healed was able to see God in Jesus. He believed in him and worshiped him. He was open to God’s action; God acted on him; and he was able to see God in Jesus. (This was the real healing of blindness. Blindness to God was healed and he saw God in Jesus). That is why Jesus said; “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind.” (Blind to God’s reality is the real blindness)

உலகில் எல்லாவற்றிலும் தீமையை காண்பவர்கள் குருடனையும் தீமையாக பார்க்கின்றனர். இயேசு எல்லாவற்றிலும் நன்மையை காண்கின்றார். நன்மையை காண்பவர்கள் புதுமையை காண்பார்கள் இயேசுவையும் இறை பிரசன்னத்தையும் காண்பார்கள்.