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DAILY GOSPEL
Friday, 29th March 2024

John 9,1-41

Date posted: March 19, 2023

March 19, 2023 (Sunday)
Let us all remember that we are in the Holy Presence of God.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

John 9,1-41
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.” The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until
they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, “Is this your son, who you
say was born blind? How then does he now see?” His parents answered, “We know that this is our son
and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened
his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid
of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would
be put out of the synagogue. Therefore, his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” So, for the second time
they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man
is a sinner.” He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was
blind, now I see.” They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes? He answered
them, I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also
want to become his disciples?” Then they revealed him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples
of Moses, we know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes
from.” The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet
he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinner, but he does listen to one who worships
him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a
person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” They answered him, “You were
born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?” And they drove him out. Jesus heard that they had
driven him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man” He answered, “And
who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one
speaking with you is he.” He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped him. Jesus said, “I came into this
world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.”
Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not blind, are we?” Jesus said
to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.

Reflection:
A simple act of healing a blind man becomes the point of trail in absentia of Jesus by the Jewish Leaders. In John’s Gospel, the curing itself is restricted to mere seven verse of the ninth chapter. In the rest of the thirty-two verses John elaborately presents the enquiry with the blind man, and finally condemning Jesus for his non-observance of the Law of Moses. The main controversy was about the healing performed on a Sabbath. The ensuing events ultimately result in the blind man becoming a believer in Jesus, and the Pharisees being told that their guilt of not believing in Jesus even after witnessing to his miracles would remain against them. Thus, Jesus rewards the blind man for accepting Him as the Son of Man, and condemns the Pharisees for their lack of faith. Responding to the needy situation of neighbors and others is not to be restricted by time, space and conditions. Any time is good enough to help. Jesus did not care about religious, social and legal formalities when he had to help others. Instead, He acted with real compassion and also made uses of such occasions to teach the people to be helpful like Himself. Faith cannot be acquired by mere arguments. It is only by personal experience of Jesus, can a person become true follower of Jesus as it happened with the blind man. Some patristic authors saw the man born blind as
representing the humanity whom Jesus enlightens. We cannot allow prejudice to blind us to the goodness in others and refraining from manipulating evidence so that so that we may not have to change our attitudes and mentalities. St. De La Salle using the curing of the blind man invites the Brothers to examine the level of obedience they ought to have as professed religious. (MED. No 15). “A truly obedient man examines nothing, pays attention to nothing save to the fact that he must obey. Faith which guides his mind, forbids all these reflections” (MED No 15/01).

Lasallian Guiding Principle:
LGP states that, “Lasallian institutions must strive to develop among its members greater recognition of the realities of human suffering and the stewardship role that each share in preserving the integrity of God’s creation and creating a humane and just society.” Saint John Baptist De La Salle offered everything he had to help those people who were hungry and illiterate in response to the call of Jesus at that time. We, like him, Lasallian are expected to respond to the call of mission specially in this time of crisis. The LGP reminds us that we need to renew our commitment to our mission as a true Lasallian.

Prayer:
Synod on Synodality Prayer

We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name.
With You alone to guide us, Make Yourself at home in our hearts;
Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it.
We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder.
Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions.
Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth and what is right.
All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time, in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.

St. John Baptist de La Salle, pray for us.

St. Miguel Febres Cordero, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever!

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Sources:
C. (n.d.). Daily Gospel. Retrieved June 22, 2020, from https://dailygospel.org/M/AM/DLSU ITS, DLSU STRATCOM, DLSU IRPA. (n.d.). Guiding Principles of the Philippine Lasallian Family.
Retrieved June 22, 2020, from http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/inside/lasallian-guiding-principles/default.asp

Prepared by Pratik, Sati D., College of Humanities and Sciences- BS Biochemistry Student, through the DLSMHSI Lasallian Mission and Linkages and Advancement, Campus Ministry, and Chaplaincy

Our Daily Lasallian Gospel, Prayer and Reflection is a DLSMHSI gift to the Lasallian family for the 2019 Celebration of the Year of Vocation and the Tercentenary celebration of the death of our founder SJBDLS.
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https://www.dlshsi.edu.ph/daily-lasallian-reflection-prayer #300LaSalle