Seeing Is Believing

A Reflection on the Gospel for March 22nd, 2020:
​Fourth Sunday of Lent

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John 9 (shorter)

(For the longer version, see the print edition of Living with Christ.)

As Jesus walked along, he saw a man blind from birth.

He spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent).

Then the man who was blind went and washed, and came back able to see. The neighbours and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.”

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not observe the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a Prophet.”

They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?” And they drove him out.

Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshipped him.

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Pause. Pray.

And then read more...

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Seeing is believing.


My mother used to mouth those words as we were growing up, usually during times when we claimed something which was difficult for her to believe. Little did I realize that this saying would have a lifelong influence on me.


We read in John today, the blind man was able to see and in seeing, he believed! How is it that like the Pharisees, we have difficulty believing what we can already see? Why do we have doubts when all the proofs are before us?


I am a logical person and I must confess that sometimes, many times actually, I analyze situations according to their causes and effects. When circumstances don’t make sense to me, I delve deeper into the matter until I discover the logic in them. This was what the Pharisees were doing as they questioned first the man who was cured by Jesus, and then his parents, and then him… again.


Many, many years ago, I suffered from a back injury. My orthopaedic doctor told me I needed surgery after he saw the MRI results. When I shared this with my sisters in our faith community, they took charge. They brought me to see a neurosurgeon for a second opinion and they had me prayed over by someone in our community who was known to have the gift of healing. During the prayer I did not feel anything different, but I noticed that the woman who prayed over me was relaxed and sounded like she was just having a friendly conversation with God.


When I saw the neurosurgeon, after some neurological tests, he declared that all I had was whiplash. I did not notice it then, but the pain had actually lessened by the time I went to see him. I was given pain killers and that was it. I remember thinking: was I healed? For me, there was no proof of healing. How do I know that I was healed? Having another MRI would have been too expensive. I lived with this question for quite some time. Gradually, the pain disappeared and I did not become paralyzed which was the reason the surgery was recommended in the first place. Yet, I did not believe that I was healed! My small group would pray for my faith, for me to believe. They even had a song for me, “May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You” to help me maintain that faith.


Through all the periods of uncertainty, Jesus never left my side. Today, as I go through other issues which I pray for, I know that He is there with me. I pray for my blindness to be healed, that I may see Him, and believe that He has healed me.


We are in a time of uncertainty now. During this time of pandemic, I can sense the fear around me. So, let us pray: Jesus, cover us with your mantle of protection, and give us peace and the grace to know and believe that You will take care of us. Amen.




Liz Venezuela

Photo by David Fanuel on Unsplash

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