Orthodox Sermons & Articles

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we have heard these words today during the Gospel reading. It would seem that a great misfortune had afflicted this man: he was born blind and he had never seen the beauty of God’s world. When people saw this man blind from birth, they immediately thought that God had sent him his misfortune as a severe punishment for his great sins, or those of his parents because children are often punished for parents’ sins.

 

And thus the Apostles thought when they saw the blind man. They asked the Savior, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind.” They heard unexpected reply from Him: Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

 

At first glance this is hard to understand: why should an innocent man be afflicted with such a misfortune? We are used to seeing God’s glory and mercy only in beneficence that He sends us, not in misfortunes, sorrow and afflictions. We thank the Lord when we receive His beneficence and generosity, not when He sends us afflictions. When we meet even the slightest reverse, we cry out: “O Lord, why have you punished us!”

 

But then joyful day came for the blind man, for the sun rose in the heavens for him, and he saw the sky and earth. What a great joy for him who so thirsted to see God’s world! For since the world begun it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind, the blind man said after he was healed.

 

But, brothers and sisters, he saw not only simple physical light, but his spiritual eyes were opened as well. With the eyes of faith he saw the Light of Truth, the Sun of Righteousness--the Savior. Through God’s mercy he who had been blind, both physically and spiritually, now can see the Fountain of Goodness -- Christ. The long-suffering of the blind man served to open the eyes of many to God’s glory. So, dear brothers and sisters, here is a lesson: if my misfortune serves for saving other people from sins and is from God but not because of my sin, then I will be blessed later. Another situation is when I am punished for my sins. Then other people can be saved by avoiding to do I did, but I will be saved only after  recognizing that I did bad things, and after asking for forgiveness. Simply saying, if a cause of my misfortune is my sin, only other people can be caved by not doing that. If my misfortune comes not because of my sin but because God wants me to be an example of His Glory, I will be blessed with God’s blessings. This is why every person being in any affliction or misfortune should, first of all, ask for forgiveness in sacrament of Penitence and thank God for giving him or her an opportunity to be an example for others. Yes, indeed, we have to thank God being in any situation -- whether we are happy or not, whether we are in good health or in illness -- because we do not know for what reason God has sent us it, and what we will receive from Him afterwards.

 

I am sure that everybody had an opportunity to notice that sometimes people who have always enjoyed good health, who have had little cause to suffer in life, are often insensitive, cruel and blind to the sufferings of others. But if a misfortune touches them they become tender and attentive to their neighbors. Yes, sometimes illness or unhappiness makes us better and opens our eyes to many things that we did not see before.

 

The Holy Fathers of the Church say that God sends afflictions to those whom He loves. And if we look back in history of Church we will find that all righteous suffered, and through this suffering they could understand their neighbors much better. Through suffering they could see that God loves them and wants them to be saved. Being in sufferings we become able to think not only about ourselves but and about our relationship with the Heavenly Father.

 

Dear brothers and sisters, if the clay of the Savior made to heal the blind man and His command to the blind man accomplished this great miracle, then the spiritual healing power of the Word of Christ will act even more beneficially on us. In entreating God’s mercy let us say to the Lord in the words of hymn:

I come to You, o Christ, blind from birth in my spiritual eyes, and call to You in repentance: You are the most radiant Light of those in darkness. Amen.