Who sinned?
By Karl westerhoff
As he went 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?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”John 9
Jesus is the Messiah who brings sight to the blind. His healing presence overwhelms all the terms we usually use to think about sickness: blame and sin, personal and generational. His response is simply to make the glory of God manifest in healing the blind man.
I’m so tempted to try to find a reason to blame…. I reassure myself and I excuse myself…. But Jesus shows no interest in blame, nor in finding a reason not to help. When the church has become rigid and judgmental, when churches find reasons not to help, the power and presence of Jesus breaks out through people who will be his body in this world. The religious leaders wanted to control who got healed and when. Jesus, the merciful healer, cannot be limited. His presence cannot be confined. His power and compassion testify to God’s glory.
The church has come very late to the suffering of those with AIDS. And too often it has come with only judgment. Thank God that Jesus’ mercy is upon the church as well. He heals us too, and uses us, as he’s using churches throughout the world to show his healing power to those infected and affected by HIV. It’s an incredible witness we get to make! We are forgiven, and we follow a powerful, merciful Healer.
Merciful God, may we show mercy. Forgiving God, may we forgive. Graceful God, may we show grace. We thank you for using us – even us – in your work to heal what’s broken and bind up the brokenhearted. May we be vessels that you can use.
Karl Westerhof is Consituency Relations Team Leader for CRWRC.
