Listen

Jesus said, “I have come into the world to exercise judgment so that those who don’t see can see and those who see will become blind.”

Some Pharisees who were with him heard what he said and asked, “Surely we aren’t blind, are we?”

Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you wouldn’t have any sin, but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.”

John 9:39-41

Think

There are a number of disturbing (if we consider them carefully) “if/then” type statements throughout the holy scriptures. If I forgive others, then I will be forgiven. That’s in the Lord’s Prayer, isn’t it (Matthew 6:1-13; Luke 11:2-4)? And it’s in the parable of the man who was forgiven much who did not forgive a little (see Matthew 18:23-35). It’s the way Luke links Jesus’ blessings and woes (Luke 6:17-26).

It’s in the Old Testament, too. Jeremiah’s pretty clear that if we act justly, then God is with us (see Jeremiah 7:5-7)—which is to say the justice of our actions indicates the presence of God. In which case, any injustice in our actions indicates what? God’s absence?

And here in John’s gospel, if we think we see clearly, we’re not seeing, and if we think we don’t see, then maybe we do! Sacred text calls us to humility in our ideas and language about God and faith and absolutes. Open our eyes, God, we want to see truly.

John Ballenger

Question to Ponder:

What does it mean to think of our relationship with God in terms of an unconditional love and if/then propositional statements?

Pray

Help us balance in our faith and life the sometimes uncomfortable dual assurance of your unconditional love for us, God, and the highest of expectations you hold for our living. Amen.

Go

Go. God without the “d.”

Movement. Purpose (one hopes)—

direction—intention. Trajectory.

From all that brought us to this here and now,

we go—and maybe everything stays the same.

But maybe, everything changes.