The Woman At The Well

“(The people) brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees. “ (Jn9:13)

 
We live by our beliefs day in day out, whatever our beliefs may be. Our words, our actions, our demeanor, tell others who we are. Our “outsides” project our “insides.” No clearer picture of faith, of beliefs can be seen as in the miracle of the blind man cured. On one side Pharisee Jews who were arbitrators of the Law of Moses; the other side, Jesus the Christ and His new disciple.

Pharisees, exclusive in membership, the elite of religious ideology, using cause-effect analysis, having tunnel vision, can only see a beggar who must have sinned, and Jesus, by curing on the Sabbath, must also be a sinner.

The blind man suddenly freed of his outward disability, no longer sees himself as an object of pity; he is transformed into a strong defender, a disciple of Christ. His heart and mind opened to faith in the one who gave him sight; faith not only by reason, but a faith filled with love and compassion; His faith formed by a relationship with Christ.

Humanity is at a pivotal point in history; a confrontation of old and new, of Jewish morality and Christianity, with Jesus seen as true authority, able to open our eyes, our minds and hearts; minds able to process facts more clearly as to who God is.

“Give God the praise,” speak on your oath.

“I was blind before, but now I can see.”

It is undeniable testimony, uncompromising fact, all other assumptions are no longer valid.

The Pharisees become the one blind. Real answers, real interest, real purity of heart, does not matter. Reduced to using intimidation, even insult, the Pharisees cannot give authority to Jesus as the one who opened the blind man’s eyes, and thus the One of God. Closed to seeking truth, they see Jesus only as a threat to their authority.

And what is Jesus’ response? He welcomes all into His love, His arms; arms which will open wide on the cross. He welcomes all into His side from which blood and water will flow out. He welcomes all into His kingdom, “a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace.”


The people brought the one who was once blind on a journey to Christ. All life is a journey; a journey to somewhere, to someone. Life is a journey with many bends, several dips in the road, a few mountainous terrains, some straight level stretches, but always flowing forward like a river.


While life is a physical journey, it is also a spiritual journey, a pilgrimage with other pilgrims. As followers of Christ, we welcome each step as it becomes an act of faith and hope. Each step with our Shepherd necessitates a compulsion to know, to understand what it means to follow His divine will. It requires one to slow down… to think… to write… to relearn… to leave behind some preconceived ideas, one’s habits… to seek guidance, maybe even rescue… to change in order to become Christ’s disciples, not just followers. Becoming, moving on a path toward Someone, transforms us into strong, vocal, living disciples of Christ.

Even loved ones may question us. Are you crazy? Are you sick? Laughter comes from another. To continue this quest for a lifetime, enduring hardships, loneliness, moving toward a sunrise of heavenly light is possible.

All journeys have an end, a final resting place. As a disciple of Christ, our destination, our everlasting dwelling, our homeward bound place, will contain us and all we have become, united with Love.

Jesus Christ, coming to earth as part of God’s plan us on a quest, a journey, a pilgrimage back to God; a journey foretold in Deuteronomy 1:32-33. “I am the Lord your God. I am going to prepare a place for you,” ... and I am in the Father, and the Father is in me” (Jn 14:3-10) and …”You are in me and I in you.”(Jn14:20)