JOHN 9: 1-41

Jottings on John…Lent 4…Revised 2020

Are longish passages like this in the liturgy (as distinct from in studies) a ‘turn-off’ instead of the ‘switch on’ we hope they will be? David Lose, in a reflection on his former site ‘In the meantime’ , suggests reading only the Gospel that day; is this worth considering? 

Today’s passage centring on Jesus & Reuben (let’s give him a name & a face!) has me pondering Holy Spirit taking the initiative in the Lenten Gospels. Leading / driving (MK) Jesus into the wilderness to be tested. Next, leading Nicodemus to take it in secretly visiting Jesus by night. Then, leading Jesus to ask ‘Samara’ for a drink at Jacob’s well, giving Reuben his sight, & raising Lazarus. Jesus then sets in train the events of Palm Sunday, & lets the authorities take the initiative on the evening of Maundy Thursday, & in His being tried, condemned, & crucified on ‘Good’ Friday.

God takes back the initiative at Easter, but who’s taking the initiative in the events we’re hearing & preaching about today? Jesus, then ‘neighbours’, Reuben, some Pharisees, Reuben’s parents, Reuben again, who weathers abuse, & confesses faith in Jesus as Messiah. Pharisees try to re-take the initiative, but instead Jesus retakes the initiative that gives Reuben his physical & deep spiritual sight now. ‘Taking the initiative’ opens up a lot of preaching possibilities, does it not? 

Isn’t it odd that people who know Reuben well as a blind person, can’t - or won’t  - recognise him now he can see? Scene after scene builds up to make a real-life parable for us all. Are there people we know whom we define by their disabilities, short-comings, or perceived failure to meet some standard we set? Instead of seeing the possibilities of God taking the initiative in them & their - & our situations? 

Are our inner eyes wide open to the Deep Wisdom of God & initiatives God may want to take in our own lives, or, with His blessing, in someone else’s? Are we as aware, as Reuben becomes, that the Messianic age has come in Jesus? That that age isn’t something only to be looked forward to? Does that the raise the issue of letting God take the initiative in overcoming our human obsession with clocks & calendars. 

However we choose to preach this passage, how can we preach it as a matter of now rather than then! It is our story, in whatever form it takes, as well as Reuben’s?

Brian

Afterthought: In vv.25 onward, Reuben becomes feisty! That may not be a word we would often use of our living out Gospel, but may we need to re-think that?