Mark 2:1-12

When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. Then some people came, bringing to him a paralysed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven.' Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 'Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?' At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, 'Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, "Your sins are forgiven", or to say, "Stand up and take your mat and walk"? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins'—he said to the paralytic— 'I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home.' And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, 'We have never seen anything like this!'

Every time I hear this story, I think of the Bible picture book that I had as a child. We can picture the scene: a house full of people, pressing in on one another, and at the center of the room was Jesus. The roof is being taken off the house to lower the paralyzed man down to Jesus. I find the scene is busy and confusing, especially for a kid to understand. 

Jesus recognizes their actions as a display of great faith, trusting that Jesus has the power to heal the man. However, Jesus goes a step further and pronounces forgiveness of the man's of the man. The scribes who were there start freaking out, accusing Jesus of blasphemy. Jesus knew they associated the man's paralysis with some sin he must have committed. Therefore, by pronouncing forgiveness the man was relieved of his burden and got up, took up his mat and went home. Everyone was amazed and the scripture tells us that they glorified God saying, "we have never seen anything like this."

The scene's picture is in my head. The mat with the man being lowered down through the roof. This makes me think of the lengths we will go to in order to get what we think we need. I'm sure that the man had heard of Jesus' healing powers. His friends were tenacious in their efforts to get him to Jesus. I wonder what they expected. I'm pretty sure that they didn't expect his sins to be forgiven. He probably just wanted to be healed, but Jesus ended up doing so much more.

We need to remember that God always gives us what we need, but rarely do we see it as something we want. It usually works out as so much more. The man was lowered down wanting to be healed, and had his sins forgiven. The paralyzed man didn't ask for anything, but had his sins forgiven and his paralysis healed. In lent, we focus on sin and forgiveness, wanting to be restored to right relationship with God as we approach Easter, needing to be healed of all the ways we come up short. We take time to look for paces in our lives that need to be evaluated; sickness, relationships, moods, anxieties, and then ask Jesus to interceed for us and forgive our sins, heal us, restore us, and reconcile us to God.

Mark 1:29-45

As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, 'Everyone is searching for you.' He answered, 'Let us go on to the neighbouring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.' And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons. A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, 'If you choose, you can make me clean.' Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, 'I do choose. Be made clean!' Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, 'See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.' But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.

Here we are at the end of the first chapter of the Gospel according to Mark. Jesus is on the move, teaching, healing, and casting out demons. Jesus has accomplished so much he is getting noticed. The word throughout the region is spreading quickly. Today, I am drawn to the directness of Jesus as he performs the tasks before him. Mark has Jesus jumping from one task to another, almost without allowing the reader to take a breath. As the reader, it feels that Mark's story is taken from one gear to another without putting in the clutch.

Jesus starts out in the house of Simon and Andrew and cures Simon's mother-in-law, and restores her to resume her usual hospitality tasks of serving them. Evidently, word travels fast in Galilee, and a multitude showed up at the door expecting Jesus to heal them also. Jesus completes all the tasks in front of him. Then, after he is drained, Jesus goes off by himself to pray. When found by Simon and the others, Jesus took them throughout Galilee, preaching, teaching, and casting out demons. 

Jesus continues to be direct, going to where the people are, teaching them, and healing them. He is constantly on the move but takes time to pray and recharge. At this point, Jesus has quite the following. There were so many people after Jesus that he could not go to town openly, so the people came out to him in the country. 

In ministry, we get so bogged down sometimes we forget to model Jesus' pattern... Be on the move! Be about the work God has given us to do! But, always remember to take time to pray and recharge. This Wednesday, these are helpful words in the first whole week of Lent. Prayer should not be a chore or something else to put on our schedule. Prayer should be part of who we are and how we live. Prayer should be ingrained so much into our routine that it is our natural response to our work. 

Mark 6:47-56 (NRSV)

When evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land.  When he saw that they were straining at the oars against an adverse wind, he came towards them early in the morning, walking on the sea. He intended to pass them by.  But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid."  Then he got into the boat with them and the wind ceased.  And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.  When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat.  When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was.  And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

Jesus came toward them “walking on the sea.”  The image that comes out at me is popular.  When we think of Jesus, we often associate him with the miracles that he performed; healing the sick, changing water into wine, casting out demons, walking on water, feeding the multitudes, and raising from the dead (just to name a few).  He amazed many (and continues to amaze) people with the wonder and power of miracles that shows the power of the one true living and loving God.

From yesterday’s reading, Jesus catches up with the disciples.  He comes to them across sea of Galilee, walking on the water.  The wind was up and the sea was rough.  The disciples were terrified.  They didn’t expect Jesus to be coming toward them like that.  Once Jesus got into the boat, the wind stopped.  They were flabbergasted.  The disciples were still trying to understand the miracle that they had just witnessed, the feeding of the 5000, and Jesus comes at them with another display of power over the elements.

After they came to Gennesaret, they were immediately noticed by people.  They brought their sick to him to be cured.  Jesus was recognized everywhere, and there was a crowd everywhere he went.  Even people that touched the fringe of his cloak were healed.

It is hard not to concentrate on the awesome power God in this passage that is shown by Jesus.  His presence and actions are godly and of godly proportions.  To me, the call that is present in this reading is in the phrase that Jesus says to the disciples, “take heart, and don’t be afraid.”  The power of God is a scary thing; the closer we get to experiencing it, the more afraid we can become.  If we take our experiences of the living God to heart, and are not afraid, then we can let God get close and use us as vessels to spread the good news about Jesus to the world.

Mark 5:21-43 (NRSV)

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea.  Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, "My little daughter is at the point of death.  Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live."  So he went with him.  And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him.  Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years.  She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse.  She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, "If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well."  Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.  Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?"  And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, 'Who touched me?'"  He looked all around to see who had done it.  But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.  He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."  While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader's house to say, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?"  But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe."  He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.  When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly.  When he had entered, he said to them, "Why do you make a commotion and weep?  The child is not dead but sleeping."  And they laughed at him.  Then he put them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was.  He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha cum," which means, "Little girl, get up!"  And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age).  At this they were overcome with amazement.  He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

The scripture says, “they laughted at him.”  It is strange to me that the family, being worried about their little girl, would go so quickly from weeping and wailing loudly to laughing at Jesus.  The leader, Jarius, who went to get Jesus had the faith that Jesus would be able to help.  This obviously wasn’t the case with the rest of the family.  Their tears and their laughs were very quickly overcome with amazement.

This scripture passage is a healing story within a healing story.  Jarius goes to get Jesus so that Jesus can come heal his daughter who is near death.  They are making their way through the crowd and Jesus encounters a woman that has been suffering from hemorrhage for 12 years who comes up and touches his cloak.  She is immediately healed.  Jesus senses the power “go forth from him.”  He asks his followers who touched him and finds out that it is the woman.  He declares her healed of her disease by her faith.

They finally get the home of Jarius and takes in Peter, James, & John (brother of James).  He tells them that she is not dead, but only sleeping.  That’s when the laughing starts.  However, Jesus pays it no mind and tells the little girl in Aramaic, “Talitha cum,” which means little girl, arise.  The ones that were laughing are amazed.

Jesus is busy healing and restoring.  The preservation of the Aramaic words in the scripture leaves us with the mystery and power that surrounds this ancient saying.  We know that it is more than words that brings about the healing power of Jesus, but knowing the words he said makes it that much more awe-inspiring.

The call I hear is to be brave in our faith.  I feel that it was faith and bravery that allowed both of these healings to take place.  The woman who suffered from hemorrhage was brave enough to come up and touch Jesus, knowing that it would make him “ritually unclean.”  However, Jesus doesn’t rebuke her, but testifies to her faith.  The leader of the synagogue, Jarius, has the faith that Jesus can save his daughter.  Jesus raises her up after people think that she has already died.  We too should be brave in our faith.  Be brave enough to not only touch Jesus, but let Jesus touch us and heal us and raise us up.

Mark 3:7-19a (NRSV)

Jesus departed with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him; hearing all that he was doing, they came to him in great numbers from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the region around Tyre and Sidon. He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him; for he had cured many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him. Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and shouted, 'You are the Son of God!' But he sternly ordered them not to make him known. He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, and to have authority to cast out demons.

So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

The presence of the boat stands out. What's the boat for? Jesus led his disciples to the sea and wanted a boat ready. However, there is no mention of the use of the boat. Mark moves along at his usual steady pace and tells us just enough to get the story.

Jesus is on the move. The way Mark tells it, he seems to be running from the great multitude following him. They are coming from everywhere. He has been healing and casting out demons everywhere he goes, so people try to touch him. The demons are even afraid of him. He went up a mountain (the mountain's presence is as strange as the boat) and took a select few with him. There he appoints the twelve.

This is definitely an account that was written after the fact. This is the first time we hear the word Apostles and about one of the twelve betraying Jesus. In fact, it almost seems that this is Mark's narrative attempt at foreshadowing, but it isn't very creative and leaves us with a bunch of questions.

I once had an issue in my ministry, and I will never forget the advice from my bishop. He said, "Ken, make disciples." He meant for me to share the load with trusted advisories to be more productive in ministry and the proclamation of the good news. So, I feel that the call today is to make disciples. Like Jesus, we need to share the load to reach the most for good. If I have twelve and my twelve each have twelve, it quickly becomes a highly manageable arrangement. However, it becomes harrowing if I try to lead all 144+ by myself.

Mark 2:23-3:6 (NRSV)

One sabbath he was going through the grainfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain.  The Pharisees said to him, 'Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?’  And he said to them, 'Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food?  He entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions.'  Then he said to them, 'The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.'

Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand.  They watched him to see whether he would cure him on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him.  And he said to the man who had the withered hand, 'Come forward.'  Then he said to them, 'Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to kill?'  But they were silent.  He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, 'Stretch out your hand.'  He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.  The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

Lawful is the word that comes out in the reading today.  Mark continues to be on the move while telling the story.  The Pharisees are getting upset and worried that Jesus’ teaching is going to upset the status quo.  Their legalistic views on what you can and can’t do on the Sabbath come across strongly.

The scripture today takes us through the Pharisees challenging Jesus because they see his disciples plucking heads of grain on the Sabbath.  Jesus quickly responds with antidotal reasoning from the stories of David from Hebrew scripture.  He explains that common sense should prevail – that the laws regarding the Sabbath should trump human decency.

Jesus enters the synagogue and heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath.  Even though he doesn’t touch the man, and just said, “stretch out your hand,” the Pharisees are upset and conspire against him with the Herodians, a political party of King Herod Antipas, the corrupt son and successor of Herod the Great.

The call that I hear today is to use common sense with regard to humanity.  The Sabbath should remain the Sabbath, and should be a holy day of rest and re-creation.  However, if one is in need then that one’s need shouldn’t be ignored just because it is Sabbath.  The disciples that were plucking heads of grain so that they could eat (probably the only meal that they had that day) did nothing wrong according to Jesus.  In the healing of the man’s withered hand, Jesus did not “work” in the conventional sense – he spoke to the man and restored his dignity, status, and position.  His hand was healed, because Jesus spoke and it happened.

Mark 2:1-12 (NRSV)

When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home.  So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them.  Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them.  And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay.  When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven.'  Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 'Why does this fellow speak in this way?  It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?'  At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, 'Why do you raise such questions in your hearts?  Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, "Your sins are forgiven," or to say, "Stand up and take your mat and walk"?  But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins' he said to the paralytic 'I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home.'  And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, 'We have never seen anything like this!'

Today, we have 12 verses of the Mark's Gospel connected to the same healing of the paralytic man in Capernaum.  Unlike before, when Mark gave us so much information with Jesus going here and there healing and casing out demons, today’s story is complete and full of details.  The word “removed the roof” stands out to me.

At this point, there are several who are following Jesus everywhere, leaning on his every word and action.  A paralytic man is brought to Jesus, but they can't reach him because of the crowds.  They believed so firmly that Jesus could help the man, so they took extreme action and "removed the roof" to lower him down.  Jesus forgives his sins.  The scribes show up in this chapter, voicing their concern about Jesus’ authority.  When Jesus absolves the sins of the paralytic man at first, the scripture says nothing about ‘healing’ him.  We know that physical conditions in ancient times were often perceived as the result of some sin that he or his parents committed.

The scribes accuse Jesus of blasphemy and challenge Jesus’ authority to forgive sin saying, Who can forgive sins but God alone?”  Jesus offers them a conundrum, by asking what is easier – forgiving sins or telling the man to get up and walk?  Jesus shows the scribes his authority by telling the man to stand and take up his mat and go home.  This action amazed the crowd and the scribes.

The call I hear today is “forgive.”  Forgiveness is from God alone, and it is a Godly act to forgive the sins of another.  Like Jesus, who when he forgives restores things to correct order, when we search for forgiveness and when we forgive each other, we restore things to right relationship.  Forgiveness is not an easy task, and takes a letting go of self and taking on of the other.

In this season of Lent, we are digging into muck of our lives and bring our deepest sins to the surface in order to deal with them – in order to let God deal with them.  Through God we receive true forgiveness and we can be fully healed and restored to right relationship.

Mark 1:29-45 (NRSV)

As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.  Now Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once.  He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.  That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons.  And the whole city was gathered around the door.  And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.  In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.  And Simon and his companions hunted for him.  When they found him, they said to him, 'Everyone is searching for you.'  He answered, 'Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.'  And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.  A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, 'If you choose, you can make me clean.'  Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, 'I do choose. Be made clean!'  Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.  After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, 'See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.'  But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.

You’ve really got to love the Gospel according to Mark.  He gets it done in record pen-strokes.  The Greek is even more concise than the English.  The phrase that stands out today is “everyone is searching for you.”

This passage contains much of Jesus' actions as he traveled around healing and casting out demons.  Jesus is busy doing the “work” of the kingdom, showing the folks that are gathering what he has come to do in ways they can understand.  He is cleansing and restoring the world through his actions, and preaching a gospel of reconnection, restoration and peace.  Toward the end of the passage, when the leper is healed, he can’t contain himself.  The leper goes about spreading the word freely.

I discern that the call today is to “restore the world.”  If the Church is Christ’s body, and we are acting as Christ’s hands in the world, then we should be going about doing the work he has given us to do.  If we are to love our neighbor fully, then we act by restoring those on the fringes of society that are lost and forgotten.  We do this by reaching out and connecting, offering them a place of comfort and community, food and shelter.  When people are touched by Jesus, then they can’t contain themselves.  They go about proclaiming it freely in the streets!

Mark 1:14-28 (NRSV)

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.' As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, 'Follow me and I will make you fish for people.' And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him. They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, 'What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.' But Jesus rebuked him, saying, 'Be silent, and come out of him!' And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, 'What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.' At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

In the context of all the information in this passage, I hear the word “called.” Jesus immediately calls James and his brother John, and they left their father Zebedee and followed him. It is interesting to me that the call narrative is in the middle of Jesus returning to Galilee, and then going into the synagogue to teach and perform an exorcism.

Keeping with the fast pace at which Mark tells us the good news, Jesus is on the move. He returns with a message of good news for the people, he secures some assistance in his mission, and then proceeds to teach in the synagogue. While he is in the synagogue, he encounters an unclean spirit that knows him. He calls out the unclean spirit, and amazes the crowd with the first miracle in the Gospel of Mark. Word about him spreads as quickly as Mark’s story unfolds.

There is an urgency to Mark’s telling of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He gets to the point and teaches in high context language, meaning that the hearers would be able to put together the story very easily in their situations. Mark uses language and forms of telling the story that his hearers would understand.

The call that I hear today is “follow.” When Jesus calls, the disciples follow to see where he leads. If we follow Jesus, especially through the scriptures, we see him do some amazing things. In the season of Lent, we follow Jesus through the desert that that we can experience a wilderness period of self examination and awareness. This lets us root up and deal with our demons and reminds us of our dependence on God.

John 9:1-17 (NRSV)

As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth.  His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him.  We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."  When he had said this, 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 he went and washed and came back able to see.  The neighbors 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."  But they kept asking him, "Then how were your eyes opened?"  He answered, "The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.' Then I went and washed and received my sight."  They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."  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."

“What do you say about him?”  The blind man declares Jesus a prophet, the Pharisee’s are split and his followers continue to be dazed and amazed at Jesus’ wondrous works.

We are just coming off Jesus narrowly escaping being stoned when he was preaching in the temple. (Saturday’s reading)  Jesus is on his way somewhere else and sees a blind man.  The man doesn’t ask to be healed, it is the disciples who are asking about the cause of the man’s blindness.  Jesus uses the opportunity to teach the disciples with the action of healing the man’s eyes.  In a very human, almost crude act, Jesus spits in the dirt and makes mud to apply to the man’s eyes.  Then he sends the blind man to wash.

It is an incredible miracle.  However, the Pharisee’s don’t get past the fact that Jesus may have violated the Sabbath.  Evidently, one cannot make mud from spit on the Sabbath.  The Pharisees question the man as to how his sight was restored and who did it.  The strange fact to me is the blind man did not know where Jesus was (or what he looks like), and yet the Pharisees are quick to assume there was some violation that rendered this act of healing as not from God.  The scripture tells us that they were divided over the decision.

The call I hear in the context of this reading is the one that comes from Jesus to the blind man.  Go and wash!  Be made clean!  I think I am going to refer to the gospel according to John as a gospel of participation.  Our first act of full participation in the Christian life is Holy Baptism.  It is the initiatory rite that makes us participants with Christ in his life, death, and resurrection, and it includes us as full members of Christ’s body, the church (it makes us Christian - not members of any particular denomination, but that is another argument for another day).  I feel that we are called in this scripture to be made clean in the waters of baptism, and then have our eyes opened so that Jesus can lead the way.