THOUGHTS OF A NUN

The Blind Man

1 Peter 3: 13-22, Acts 9: 32-42, John 9: 1-39
June 5, 2005

The man who had been blind from birth did not know how he was healed, but he knew that his life had been miraculously changed. And he was not afraid to tell the truth. The longer this man experienced his new life, the more confident he became in the One who healed him. He gained not only physical sight but spiritual sight also. He did not know all the answers put to him, but he did not need to know everything in order to share his belief in Christ with others.

We don’t need to know all the answers in order to share Christ with others, either.
It is important for us to tell others what Christ has done for us and how our life has been changed. Telling others in words is one way of speaking. Our actions are another way of speaking.  Then, whether by word or deed, we have to trust that God will use our "speaking" to help others.

Many years ago, a priest friend of mine told me of some of his experiences during World War II. Even though he was a chaplain in the army, the Japanese eventually captured him. A particularly cruel, seemingly sadistic General ran the last camp in which he was imprisoned   This General either had not heard of the Geneva Conventions or had chosen to ignore them. In spite of this, every so often, the chaplain somehow managed to get what he needed to serve Eucharistic celebrations. Though the guards did not stop them, they would frequently ridicule and abuse them. Even the General occasionally observed the men through the fence gathered around the priest for worship.

Many years later, this same chaplain was walking through a park and noticed someone limping in front of him. The man turned to observe something on his left and to Fr. Bob’s astonishment it was the General. Rather than accosting him directly, he reported him to the authorities and the general was eventually arrested and sentenced to die. In prison the general requested that the priest come and visit him. Fr. Bob did and to his surprise the General asked him to explain what he was doing and the meaning of those gatherings in the prison camp. Over the course of several weeks the General came to believe and was baptized.

Our actions communicate just as clearly as our words.Sometimes it is the smallest every day behavior we have acquired through faith in our loving God that inspires another.

As St. Peter in this morning’s first reading says, we can’t keep others from attacking us but we can live so as to have a clear conscience. We do not want or need to give ammunition for any attack by bad or faulty behavior. 

There are those who believe faith is a personal matter that should be kept to oneself. It is true that it is generally not well received to be boisterous or obnoxious in sharing our faith. However, when asked about our faith, our lifestyle, or our Christian perspective we can always be ready to answer, gently and respectfully.

Is our hope in Christ readily observable to others?

Are we prepared to tell others what Christ has done in our life?

When we turn to Christ, we continue to see our God differently. The longer we walk with God the better we can come to understand whom God is. As Christ said to the man who had been blind,  “The one speaking to you is He”. Let us too always go forth and worship our God!

Glory be to Jesus Christ!