Seeing Jesus as Christ: A Test of Faith – 19 March 2023

John 9:1–41

Jesus heals many blind persons in the Synoptic gospels. Here in John the miracle cure of a man born blind is sign to Jesus' identity as light of the world. It sets the stage for a dispute between the man who was healed and the religious authorities. While the Jesus of history is remembered as a healer, the dispute with the religious authorities in the second part of the account reflects the concerns of the early church as it separated from Judaism; it makes no sense in the lifetime of Jesus. . .

The most significant part of this story is the questioning that takes place after the healing. . .

The antagonists, now identified as Jews, question the man's parents, who distance themselves from the questions. The gospel states that they did so in order not to be expelled from the synagogues, “for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone acknowledged him as the Christ he would be expelled from the synagogue.” This feature of early Christianity should be understood as one aspect of how the church and synagogue clarified their identities in the late first century. It is a point that has lent itself to fostering anti-Semitism and should be viewed as a condition of a particular time. . .

This story not only reflects a struggle within early Christianity, but a struggle to respond to the call to be healed of whatever blindness diminishes faith. ––Regina Boisclair

Ephesians 5:8–14

This passage contrasts existence prior to acceptance of Christ and present Christian existence. It identifies the past as darkness and the present as light in the Lord. It calls Christians to live as children of light so that their behavior would be characterized as good, righteous, true and pleasing to God. It calls Christians to take no part in fruitless works of darkness, but to expose them, and it claims that shameful deeds done in secret should not even be mentioned. However, this passage follows a vice list that emphasized fornication and impurity, which would indicate that what the Pauline author suggests should not be mentioned consists of sexual deviance. The selection seeks to foster mature discernment that recognizes what is to be condemned as sinfulness. The passage concludes with a verse considered an early Christian baptismal hymn. (See Romans 6:4–13.) ––Regina Boisclair

1 Samuel 16:1–13

Confronted with one known to be anointed by God, the townsfolk of Bethlehem are fearful of Samuel's presence; he assures them that his intent is to offer sacrifice and to invite them to a banquet. Jesse and his sons are present and one by one Samuel comes to recognize that none of these sons are God's chosen. After Samuel asks Jesse if he has any other sons, the youngest, David, is brought in from tending the sheep. Samuel is then instructed to anoint David, who is then said to be filled with the Spirit. The verse following this reading reports that the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul. ––Regina Boisclair

Regina Boisclair, a Roman Catholic biblical scholar, is Emerita Professor at Alaska Pacific University, Anchorage, Alaska.

Homily Service 41, no. 2 (2008): 54–62.