Good morning.
Today is Tuesday,
March 16th,
2021.
O Lord,
Let my soul rise up to meet you as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to God,
The three in one,
Creator,
Redeemer,
And Sustainer.
As it was in the beginning,
Is now and will be forever.
Amen.
Come let us bow down and worship.
Let us kneel before the Lord,
Our Maker.
Remind yourself that you are in God's presence.
Notice how God may be speaking to you today.
Let yourself dwell on a word or a phrase that catches your attention or moves your heart.
And let your heart simply respond to God in prayer.
Please repeat these words.
Jesus,
You are the light of the world.
Open our eyes that we might see.
Our reading today is John 9,
Verses 18 through 38.
The temple authorities refuse to believe that this one had been born blind and had begun to see until they summoned the parents.
Is this your child?
They asked.
And if so,
Do you attest that your child was blind at birth?
How do you account for the fact that now your child can see?
The parents answered.
We know this is our child blind from birth.
But how our child can see now or who opened those blind eyes?
We have no idea.
But don't ask us.
Our child is old enough to speak without us.
The parents answered this way because they were afraid of the temple authorities who had already agreed among themselves that anyone who acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.
That was why they said our child is of age and should be asked directly.
For a second time,
They summoned the one who had been born blind and said,
Give God the glory instead.
We know that this Jesus is a sinner.
I don't know whether he is a sinner or not,
The individual answered.
All I know is that I used to be blind and now I can see.
They persisted.
Just what did he do to you?
How did he open your eyes?
I already told you,
But you won't listen to me,
Came the answer.
Why do you want to hear it all over again?
Don't tell me you want to become one of Jesus's disciples,
Too.
They retorted scornfully.
You're the one who is Jesus's disciple.
We're disciples of Moses.
We know that God spoke to Moses,
But we have no idea where this Jesus comes from.
The other retorted.
Well,
This is news.
You don't know where he comes from,
Yet he opened my eyes.
We know that God doesn't hear sinners,
But that if people are devout and obey God's will,
God listens to them.
It is unheard of that anyone ever gave sight to a person blind from birth.
If this one were not from God,
He could never have done such a thing.
What?
They exclaimed.
You are steeped in sin from birth and you're giving us lectures.
With that,
They threw the person out.
When Jesus heard of the expulsion,
He sought out the one who had been healed and asked,
Do you believe in the chosen one?
The other answered,
Who is this one that I may believe?
You are looking at him,
Jesus replied.
The chosen one is speaking to you now.
The healed one said,
Yes,
I believe.
And worshiped Jesus.
I invite you now in this space to lift your own prayers.
Perhaps there was something in the reading that caught your attention.
Perhaps the Spirit of God has led your mind to rest on a friend or a family member or to some part of yourself that you would like to present before God.
So in this space,
Lift your own prayers.
May the light of Christ go before you and behind you,
Beneath you and above you,
On your right and on your left,
When you rise and when you lie down.
May the light of Christ be with you.
May the light of Christ be in you.
May the love of God go before you and behind you,
Beneath you and above you,
On your right and on your left,
When you rise and when you lie down.
May the love of God be with you.
May the love of God be in you.
In the name of Jesus,
Who taught us to pray,
Our Father in heaven,
Eternal God,
Earthmaker,
Pain-bearer,
Life-giver,
Source of all that is and all that shall be,
Not only Father but Mother of us all,
May the hallowing of your name echo through the universe.
May the way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world.
May your heavenly will be done by all created beings.
May your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today,
Feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another,
Forgive us.
In times of temptation and test,
Strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure,
Spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil,
Free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love,
Now and forever.
Amen.
Jesus,
You are the light of the world.
Open our eyes that we might see.
Lead us to live according to your teaching and become your disciples,
That we may know the truth and be made free.
Amen.
And so my friends,
May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ go with you wherever he may send you this week.
May he guide you through the wilderness,
Protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
Go in peace.
