Lesson 28 The Man Born Blind Summary of Today s Story Jesus, the light of the world, brings light to a man who was born blind. The Pharisees do not believe that the man was cured, and they summon the parents for examination. The parents testify that the man is their son and that he had been born blind, but refuse to say more for fear of being expelled from the synagogue. The Pharisees then call the man back for more questioning. The former beggar bravely browbeats them, which infuriates them, and they cast him out. Jesus hears of this and finds the man, who acknowledges Jesus as the Son of man, with the writer John s words of salvation: Lord, I believe. Where You ll Find Today s Story In the Bible We recommend the New Revised Standard Version Bible. John 9 In Children s Bibles If you plan to use a children s Bible for storytelling, write the page numbers of today s story in the space below. In Our Sunday Lectionary Today s story is told in church on the following Sundays: Year A: Fourth Sunday in Lent This story ends with Jesus talking of the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees, referring not to honest doubt but to their self-satisfied prejudice.
2 Lesson 28 the man born blind WEAVING TOGETHER THE FAMILY OF GOD, YEAR 2 Weaving Our Story with the Biblical Story As the previous lessons from the Gospel of John have emphasized, the Gospel writer gives to us a picture of two encounters the blind man and the Pharisees and shows us two responses the blind man who sees and honestly confronts the authorities, and the authorities who are spiritually blind and refuse to be open to their own blindness. The blind man is courageous in facing the authorities honestly. He was not to be denied his Savior. And as a result, he is expelled from the synagogue. Living our faith may bring a measure of disapproval from others, especially in ethical decision-making, as it did to the man born blind. We can see in his case how he might have been able to compromise his words and his position. Compromise is often the rule and the easy way out. The pressure that these Pharisees put on the man might make many people give up. But this he refuses to do. He truly sees, not only physically but spiritually. He sees the world, and he sees God. For John the gospel writer, the Pharisees in the story are unable to recognize or affirm the good that Jesus does in healing someone. They only see that he broke the rules by healing at the wrong time on the Sabbath. They miss Jesus point, with their tunnel vision of religion. Their sin, which Jesus identifies, is their refusal to admit their own blindness or closed-mindedness. The Episcopal Thread: John Newton was an Anglican priest who wrote the famous hymn Amazing Grace, #671 in the Hymnal 1982. Formerly a slave trader, he repented of his part in the inhuman slave trade and wrote this hymn that describes how I once was blind, but now I see. Unlike the Pharisees that Jesus encountered in this story, Newton s spiritual blindness was cured and his eyes were opened. Blindness is often used in the Prayer Book as a metaphor for sinfulness, often meaning unintentional sinfulness. In the Litany of Penitence, said on Ash Wednesday (BCP, p. 268), we recognize our sin in our blindness to human need and suffering... Likewise, in one of the Collects that are said at the conclusion of the Prayers of the People on Sunday, the celebrant prays, Help us to ask only what accords with your will; and those good things which we dare not, or in our blindness cannot ask, grant us for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. (BCP, p. 394) In these prayers, Episcopalians recognize that not all sin is deliberate, and that sometimes sin is caused by our lack of vision or understanding. But we also recognize that God gave us the gift of reason, which we can use to combat blindness through thoughtful spiritual growth and openness. In a sense, we are all spiritually born blind, without the rational understanding of good and evil. But with God s help and the use of human reason, Jesus can cure our blindness and give us wisdom. So whereas the man born blind says to Jesus, Lord, I believe, the Pharisees say incredulously, Surely we are not blind, are we? Which response is our response to Jesus?
3 Lesson 28 the man born blind WEAVING TOGETHER THE FAMILY OF GOD, YEAR 2 Gathering As the children enter the room, welcome them and engage them in a simple activity that relates to today s lesson. For younger children, a page or picture to color, or an activity such as the maze and the dot-to-dot at the end of this lesson, can be offered. Alternatively, give each child a lump of clay or play dough and have them shape something with their eyes closed. This activity will be a good introduction to the story about the blind man. Older learners also enjoy playing with clay or play dough. They will also appreciate a brief time to renew friendships and to catch up on the week s happenings among themselves. This fellowship time is important for children in this age group, and it is important for the life of the church as community and family. Please make sure, however, that the conversation is appropriate to the spirit of Christ s church. (This may be a time to discourage gossip, putdowns, and other uncharitable talk while still encouraging and inviting friendly bonds to form among them.) After all the children have arrived and had a few minutes of activity or fellowship time, gather them together and say a simple opening prayer, such as: Lord, we thank you that you have brought us together today as your church family. Open our eyes so we can see your love, and our ears so that we can hear your Word, in this room and in the world. We pray for all of us here, and for those who are absent, especially asking for your blessing on those who are sick today. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen. Telling the Story Read aloud today s story from a children s Bible, showing the pictures, tell the story in your own words, or read from the version of the story we provide, found on pages 8-11. This story of the blind man is a long one and is easily dramatized because it is divided into five basic parts: Jesus tells the man to wash in the pool, and he is healed. His neighbors are impressed. The Pharisees question the man, and mistrust Jesus action. They then question the man s parents, who are afraid to say much. The Pharisees question the man again about Jesus. His sure answers of belief anger them and they throw him out of the Temple. Jesus finds the man and talks to him. He believes and worships Jesus. Jesus confirms to the Pharisees their spiritual blindness. To dramatize the story, have one child act the part of Jesus, one act as the blind man, two children as his parents, and the rest of the children as the Pharisees. Copy the Bible passage and highlight the different parts for each child. See Storytelling Enhancements in the Appendix (also downloadable) for additional suggestions about dramatizing the story. Another easy and fun option is a clothesline drama, with the costumes hung on a clothesline ahead of time. Children will be able to remember more easily what happens in the story, if they can act it out and see the story unfold in the drama. (See Carol Mader s Crazy Clothesline Characters [Loveland, Co, Group Publishing 2000].) However, tell the story briefly and simply first before having the children dramatize it.
4 Lesson 28 the man born blind WEAVING TOGETHER THE FAMILY OF GOD, YEAR 2 If you decide not to dramatize the story, but only tell it yourself, then you might pick different parts of the room to be different areas in the story for example, begin in one corner of the room which is the Pool of Siloam, moving to another corner where the Pharisees are gathered, etc. Let the children hear the story without analyzing it for them or discussing it. For now, simply let the story sink into their minds and hearts. Later, while having snacks, you can bring up the story again and invite the children to talk about it and explore its message. Prayer Set up a small worship center in your room. Materials: small table with a cloth to cover it 2 candles or a single large Christ candle matches Bible cross optional: flowers (real, artificial or handmade by the children) Have the children set up a simple altar with the materials listed above. Invite them to place on the altar any drawings or crafts that they created during Gathering time. Then light the candles. Read a verse from today s scripture from a Bible so that the children connect the story they heard with the Bible, which is the word of God. If working mainly with older children, you might expand the reading to several verses. Suggestions for the readings: For younger children: John 9:10-11 For older children: John 9:10-11, 40-41 Help familiarize the children with our liturgy by doing the reading as it is done in church. Read as follows: Reader: A reading from the Book of John: (Read the selected passage.) Reader: The word of the Lord. All: Thanks be to God. Invite the children to sit in a circle and join in prayer. Say a brief prayer yourself, then invite prayers from each child in the circle: Invite children to give thanks to God for the ways in which God has guided them and helped them during the past week for making a friend, learning a skill, winning a game or being a good loser, working hard in school. Ask if children have any prayers asking for God s guidance, healing or help for the coming week, either for themselves or for others. Recognize any birthdays or other special occasions. Give thanks to God for letting us celebrate these special times together as a church family and as God s family. End with the Lord s Prayer, prayed together. Carefully extinguish the candles.
5 Lesson 28 the man born blind WEAVING TOGETHER THE FAMILY OF GOD, YEAR 2 Sharing Pass out snacks and say a simple grace, such as: For these and all God s mercies, may God s holy Name be blessed and praised, in Jesus name. Amen. Or have children share a favorite table grace from home. Say the grace together if it is a familiar one and everyone knows it. This is an excellent time, while sharing a snack, to begin talking about the story that the children have just heard. Ask questions such as: What did you think of the blind man? What about his parents what do you think they were feeling and thinking? What about the Pharisees and how they questioned the man and his parents, and how they threw the man out of the synagogue? What did the man who was healed say about Jesus and about who Jesus was? What did the Pharisees say about who Jesus was, and about the man and his judgment? What did Jesus mean, at the end, about the Pharisees being blind?
6 Lesson 28 the man born blind WEAVING TOGETHER THE FAMILY OF GOD, YEAR 2 Activities: Arts, Crafts, Games, Drama, etc. After Sharing, begin an activity to supplement and enhance today s story. While the children are doing an activity, talk about the story so that they make the connection. Activities for This Week s Session Suggested story-related activities are provided at the end of this lesson on pages 12-26. Additional activity ideas can be found on pages 3-6 in the Appendix (also downloadable) where we ve provided suggestions and directions for a variety of general activities that can be adapted to any lesson. Also included are outreach and service projects that can be done at any time. Take-Home Paper At the end of this lesson you will find a two-page take-home paper for families called Threads. Threads provides parents with a briefer version of the information on scripture and Episcopal faith found in the introduction to the lesson, as well as multiple suggestions for household activities and prayer. Parents can use Threads to continue each child s classroom experience at home throughout the week. We suggest duplicating and distributing these two pages to children and/or their parents at the end of each lesson.
7 Lesson 28 the man born blind WEAVING TOGETHER THE FAMILY OF GOD, YEAR 2 Memorization There are no passages from this lesson to memorize. However, learners could work on memorizing the books of the New Testament, the Nicene Creed and the Sanctus ( Holy Holy ). Weaving the Family of God As your time together draws to a close, take a few minutes to help the children summarize the story and say what they learned today by asking questions such as: Who did Jesus meet in our lesson today? What did Jesus do to the man? What did the Pharisees do? Were they happy about Jesus making someone well? What did Jesus say about the Pharisees? What did the man, whose blindness was healed, say about Jesus? Closing Prayer Before the children leave, say a simple closing prayer to send them into the church worship service or back to their homes with God s love and blessing. Say a prayer of your own, ask a child to share a prayer, use a prayer from the Prayer Book or say the following: Lord God, we give you thanks for sending your Son Jesus Christ to make us all well and to show us how you love us. Now send us back to our families to give them the love that you give to us. Bless us now as we go, in Jesus name. Amen. End with a dismissal used in church, such as: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. The children respond: Thanks be to God! Encourage the children to remember key family of God ideas and words from the story, such as: healing, (spiritual) blindness.
John 9 He Once Is Blind and Now He Sees Some people go blind when they get old. Some people get blinded in an accident. Some sicknesses make people blind. But this man was born blind. He has never seen his mother and father. He has never seen his friend, or his house or even his own hands. He has never seen the full moon or glittering stars. He has never seen strawberries or sheep or the color pink. He has never seen the bug that bites his arm and makes it itch. He has never seen anything. Today he is sitting at the edge of the street begging for food, as he always does. When Jesus sees him, he says to his disciples, Now I can show you how I am the light of the world, by doing the work of God in this man. Then Jesus bends down in front of the blind man and spits on the ground. With the saliva on the ground, he makes a bit of mud. Then he spreads the mud on the blind man s eyes. The man sits and waits. There is mud on his eyes. There are people in front of him. Now what? Jesus says to the man, Go and wash in the pool of Siloam. The man is blind, but he has lived here all his life. He knows how to get around, and he knows where that pool is. He just has never seen it. So he takes his cane and walks slowly to the pool and washes all the mud off of his eyes and his face. Then he opens his eyes. He can see! What s this? It s the pool of Siloam! What is that? A man! I ve never seen a person before! And what is that thing over there? Oh, by his bark, he must be a dog! Oh, I do have a lot to learn! I 8 Lesson 28 The Man Born Blind Weaving Together the Family of God, Year 2 STORY
can see! I can see my hands and my feet, I can see the sun and my shadow, I can see where is that man who put mud on my eyes? I must find him! I can tell who he is by the sound of his voice. The Neighbors Wonder The man looks around. Then he goes back to where he has spent years begging for food. He knows exactly where that is, by the way the ground feels under him. But Jesus is not there. His neighbors are all around him, though. They are staring at him. Funny, they think. He looks just like the man who used to sit and beg, the one who was blind. One says, That man over there, isn t he the one who used to beg on the street? The neighbors can t decide, because here is a man who can see. Some say, Yes, that s him. Others say, No, of course not. That man is blind and this one isn t. This must be someone who looks just like him. Maybe it s his twin whom we ve never met before. The man hears the people wondering and talking about him. He walks around the crowd saying over and over again, I am the man. I am the man. But how were your eyes opened? Why aren t you blind? He says, A man named Jesus I heard his friends calling him Jesus that man named Jesus made some mud and smeared it on my eyes and told me to wash in the pool of Siloam. So I did, and as soon as the mud went away, so did my darkness. They say to him, But where is he, that man? The man looks around. But he doesn t know what Jesus looks like. He only knows what Jesus sounds like. He does not hear Jesus. So he says, I don t know. The Pharisees Investigate The Pharisees do not like that this man was unblinded, especially because today is the Sabbath day and you are not supposed to do any work on the 9 Lesson 28 The Man Born Blind Weaving Together the Family of God, Year 2 STORY CONT.
Sabbath, even healing somebody who is sick. They themselves have a sick feeling who did this terrible, great thing. The neighbors want to show him off. So they take him to the Pharisees. The Pharisees ask, How did this happen, that you can see? You have been blind all your life. The man says, He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see. He is starting to get tired of explaining this over and over again, so he makes it short. The Pharisees say, That man must be a sinner, a bad man, because he healed you on the Sabbath. No good person would work on the Sabbath! But there is a crowd around them all. One man says, If he is a sinner, how can he do such wonderful things? One of the Pharisees says to the man, What about you? What do you say about him? The man says, He is a prophet. But the Pharisees are stubborn. No! He is a sinner! But the man says to them, Well, I don t know whether or not he is a sinner. All I know is that I was blind, and now I can see. Then they pressed him, this time in a harsher and louder voice. What did he do to you? What did he do to you? Now the man is very tired of answering this question. He has lost patience. I must have said this a million times. You aren t listening to me. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciple? The Pharisees growl. Aaach! Of course we don t want to become his disciples! Go away! The Man Finally Meets Jesus Finally, the Pharisees are gone. Praise God, thinks the man. Peace and quiet, and I can look around me. As he looks around, he sees a man looking at him. The man walks up to him and says, Do you believe in the Son of God? 10 Lesson 28 The Man Born Blind Weaving Together the Family of God, Year 2 STORY CONT.
The voice sounds familiar. Yes, it is! But the man is careful. He says, And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I can believe in him. Jesus says to him, I am the one. The man starts to weep from happiness. He has met his savior. He says, Lord, I believe. I do believe. And he wipes the tears from his eyes, the eyes that now can see, and he laughs. 11 Lesson 28 The Man Born Blind Weaving Together the Family of God, Year 2 STORY CONT.
Gathering Activity: Dot-to-Dot What does the blind man see after Jesus heals him? Connect the dots and find out! 12 Lesson 28 The Man Born Blind Weaving Together the Family of God, Year 2 activity
Gathering Activity: Help the Blind Man Find Jesus The blind man wants to be healed, and only Jesus can heal him! Can you help him find Jesus? 13 Lesson 28 The Man Born Blind Weaving Together the Family of God, Year 2 activity
Mirror of Faith for Primary Children make mirror from poster board and decorate it. Materials: poster board silver wrapping paper, silver foil or other shiny paper glue scissors ribbon markers sequins, glitter glue and other decorative elements hole punch mirror pattern (p. 15) Preparation: Make a copy of the mirror pattern for each child. Directions: Invite each child to make a mirror as follows: 1. Use the mirror pattern to trace the picture onto a piece of poster board. Cut the mirror frame out, and cut out the center as shown in the picture. An adult may need to help the children cut out the center. 2. Cut out a second mirror frame from the poster board, but leave the center uncut. 3. Cut a piece of silver foil, a little larger than the hole in the center of the mirror. 4. Glue the foil onto the back of the mirror with the hole. 5. Glue the second mirror frame onto the back of the first. 6. On the mirror, write the words Lord, Give Us Eyes to See. 7. Decorate the mirror with markers, sequins and glitter glue. 8. Use a hole punch to punch a hole into the handle of the mirror. Thread a length of ribbon through the hole and tie. 14 Lesson 28 The Man Born Blind Weaving Together the Family of God, Year 2 craft
15 Lesson 28 The Man Born Blind Weaving Together the Family of God, Year 2 craft cont.
Who s There? for Primary In this game, children learn the needs associated with blindness and the great gift that Jesus gave to the blind man. Materials: optional: blindfold Directions: 1. This game is played like Blind Man s Bluff. Everybody gathers in a circle. Pick one child to be the blind man. 2. The blind man must close his or her eyes or wear a blindfold and stand in the center of the circle. 3. Secretly among the rest of the children, pick one child to be Jesus. 4. The blind man must find and identify Jesus. As all stay in the circle, the blind man will approach somebody and ask, Are you Jesus? If that child is the one chosen to be Jesus, the blind man must then guess the real identity of the child. 5. When the blind man has identified Jesus, then Jesus becomes the blind man and somebody else becomes Jesus. 16 Lesson 28 The Man Born Blind Weaving Together the Family of God, Year 2 game
Children learn a trade pottery! while blind. Clay Works for Primary, Elementary, Intermediate Materials: clay, either non-drying or air-drying (or make your own: see Appendix for recipe) optional: blindfolds Directions: 1. Give each child a lump of clay. 2. Tell children that they will pretend that they are blind, but need to earn a living in biblical Galilee. Someone has given them a chance to become pottery makers. 3. Have children try to make something with their eyes closed. This can be a cup, bowl, plate or a decorative item. It must be something that can be identified and is usable (not just a free sculpture ), to learn how difficult it might be to make something real. 4. When finished, have them open their eyes and compare products. 17 Lesson 28 The Man Born Blind Weaving Together the Family of God, Year 2 craft
Whom Do You See? for Primary In this simple game, children rely on other children to do their seeing for them. The blind man in today s lesson probably needed other people to help him see things. Directions: 1. Gather in a circle. Pick one child to be It. Tell the children that only It can do the guessing, but everyone will have a chance to be It. 2. Say to It: I am thinking about somebody in this circle. 3. It says: Who is that somebody? 4. Describe that child, using color of hair, color and description of clothes and other identifying characteristics. 5. It will guess who the mystery child is. When It guesses correctly, that mystery child will then be It. 18 Lesson 28 The Man Born Blind Weaving Together the Family of God, Year 2 game
Window Picture for Preschool, Primary Children use paper and stickers to make a house with windows that open and shut and decorate it. Materials: construction paper or plain paper scissors pencils glue 5 kinds of stickers, including one of Jesus markers or crayons Preparation: For preschool children, do step 1 (cut out windows) ahead of time. Directions: Invite each child to make a picture as follows: 1. Cut five windows, or four windows and a door, from one piece of paper. They may be situated to look like windows on a house. 2. Glue this paper onto another piece of paper, making sure to leave the windows unglued. 3. Put stickers into each window. 4. On the front, write words like Jesus Is Always with Us. Decorate the house with markers or crayons. 19 Lesson 28 The Man Born Blind Weaving Together the Family of God, Year 2 craft
Colored Spectacles for Preschool, Primary Children make special glasses to get a new view of the world. Materials: spectacle pattern (p. 21) paper scissors colored cellophane paper markers or crayons glue tape or stapler Preparation: Make a copy of the spectacle pattern for each child. To make the spectacles stronger, either copy onto card stock paper, or trace the pattern onto poster board. Directions: Invite each child to make a pair of spectacles as follows: 1. Color and then cut out the spectacle pattern. Cut out the eye holes. 2. Decorate the spectacles. 3. Cut a piece of colored cellophane and glue or tape it to the back of the spectacles, covering the eye holes. Cut excess paper away. 4. Cut 1" strips of paper 8½" long. 5. Tape or staple one strip of paper to each side of the spectacles. Try it on the child, and tape or staple to make it fit around the child s head. 6. Ask what they notice when they look through the colored lenses. What looks better; what looks worse; what looks funny? 20 Lesson 28 The Man Born Blind Weaving Together the Family of God, Year 2 craft
21 Lesson 28 The Man Born Blind Weaving Together the Family of God, Year 2 craft cont.
Glow Lamp for Primary, Elementary Children decorate a glass jar with tissue paper and glitter to make a pretty candleholder. Materials: small glass jars, 1 per child colored tissue paper scissors glue, thinned with a little water small cups or bowls small candle paintbrushes glitter Preparation: Cut the tissue paper into small pieces. Thin out the glue with a little water and put into small cups or bowls for individual use. Directions: Invite each child to make a lamp as follows: 1. Cover a portion of the outside of the jar with the glue. 2. Press on a piece of tissue paper. Brush a little glue over the paper, if necessary to make it stick. 3. If desired, sprinkle a little glitter over the tissue. 4. Let the jar dry, then put a candle inside. 22 Lesson 28 The Man Born Blind Weaving Together the Family of God, Year 2 craft
Glow-in-the-Dark Picture of Your Church for Elementary Children draw a picture of their church, glowing in the dark. For the man born blind, the Temple might have been a beautiful sight when he was finally able to see it. Our place of worship glows in the darkness of the world. Materials: glow-in-the-dark and florescent pens and paints (available at craft and art stores) paintbrushes dark construction paper pencils Directions: Invite each child to make a picture as follows: 1. Draw a picture of your church, using pencil first to outline the picture. 2. Use the special florescent paints to finish the picture. 3. Turn off the lights to see the glow-in-the-dark pictures. 23 Lesson 28 The Man Born Blind Weaving Together the Family of God, Year 2 craft
Children make paper lanterns and decorate them. Lantern for Preschool, Primary Materials: paper, regular or construction (for a fancy lamp, use solid color wrapping paper, gold foil wrapping paper or other beautiful paper, cut to 9" x 12") scissors pencils glue or tape stickers hole punch ribbon Directions: 1. Give each child a sheet of paper. Invite them to fold it in half lengthwise. 2. From the folded edge, cut slits around 1" apart, stopping the cut 2" from the opposite edge. You may want to draw the lines on each paper, and let the children use the lines as guides for making the cuts. 3. Unfold the paper. Glue or tape the paper into a circle. 4. Punch two holes at the top of the lantern, opposite each other. 5. Cut a length of ribbon around 12"-15" long. Thread through the holes and tie, for hanging. 6. Apply stickers to the lantern for decoration. 24 Lesson 28 The Man Born Blind Weaving Together the Family of God, Year 2 craft
Lacy Lantern for Elementary, Intermediate Children use the origami paper folding method to make hanging lanterns. Materials: origami paper scissors small paper plates pencils glue Directions: 1. Put two sheets of origami paper on top of each other. Put a plate on top of them and draw a circle around it. Cut out the circles and pull them apart. 2. Fold one circle in half, then in half again, and again. 3. After decorating, make cuts extending from one edge to about ½" from the opposite edge, as shown below. Alternate sides and follow the curve of the circle as you cut. 4. Do the same to the second circle. 5. Open both circles. 6. Carefully glue the two circles together at their outside edges. 7. Cut out a strip of paper for the handle. Glue the ends to the middle of one circle, which will be the top of the lantern. Let the glue dry. 8. When you hang up the lacy lantern, it will slowly drop down and open up. If the lower part does not open, slip a coin into it. The weight will pull it down. 25 Lesson 28 The Man Born Blind Weaving Together the Family of God, Year 2 craft
Bringing Light Into Darkness Book for Elementary Children make a book and illustrate it with pictures of what the blind man might have seen when Jesus restored his sight. Materials: black paper milky pens, various colors pale thin ribbon hole punch acrylic jewels or sequins Directions: Invite each child to make a book as follows: 1. Cut a sheet of black paper in half, then fold each half sheet in half to make pages of a book. 2. Put the two half sheets together, aligning them along the folds. Punch two holes in the folds. 3. To bind the book, cut a length of ribbon and thread through the holes and tie with a bow. 4. Decorate the book cover with sequins or jewels, and write the title and your name. The title will be: Bringing Light into Darkness. 5. Use the milky pens to draw and write scenes that the blind man might have seen for the first time, after being healed by Jesus. Scenes might include Jesus, the man s parents, the temple, the sunset, other people, the city. 26 Lesson 28 The Man Born Blind Weaving Together the Family of God, Year 2 craft
Lesson 28: The Man Born Blind We Believe... Blindness is often used in the Prayer Book as a metaphor for sinfulness, often meaning unintentional sinfulness. In the Litany of Penitence, said on Ash Wednesday (BCP, p. 268), we recognize our sin in our blindness to human need and suffering... Likewise, in one of the Collects that are said at the conclusion of the Prayers of the People on Sunday, the celebrant prays, Help us to ask only what accords with your will; and those good things which we dare not, or in our blindness cannot ask, grant us for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord (BCP, p. 394). Words of Faith healing not curing an illness but making one whole; Jesus cured, but most of all, he healed people in body, mind and spirit spiritual blindness being unable or unwilling to see where God wants us to go or what God wants us to do; closing our mind to God Jesus, the Light of the World, brings light to the man born blind and to us. Today s Story John 9 As the previous lessons from the Gospel of John have emphasized, the Gospel writer gives to us a picture of two encounters the blind man and the Pharisees and shows us two responses the blind man who sees and honestly confronts the authorities, and the authorities who are spiritually blind and refuse to be open to their own blindness. The blind man is courageous in facing the authorities honestly. He was not to be denied his Savior. He truly sees, not only physically but spiritually. He sees the world, and he sees God. And as a result, he is expelled from the synagogue. For John the gospel writer, the Pharisees in the story are unable to recognize or affirm the good that Jesus does in healing someone. They only see that he broke the rules by healing at the wrong time on the Sabbath. They miss Jesus point, with their tunnel vision of religion. Their sin, which Jesus identifies, is their refusal to admit their own blindness or closed-mindedness. So whereas the man born blind says to Jesus, Lord, I believe, the Pharisees say incredulously, Surely we are not blind, are we? Which response is our response to Jesus? 2014 by Joanna Leiserson. Published by Morehouse Education Resources, www.morehouseeducation.org. All rights reserved.
Sharing Read today s story about the man born blind from a children s Bible, showing the pictures, or from your family Bible. After the story, discuss with family members: What did you think of the blind man? What about his parents what do you think they were feeling and thinking? What about the Pharisees and how they questioned the man and his parents, and how they threw the man out of the synagogue? What did the man who was healed say about Jesus and about who Jesus was? What did the Pharisees say about who Jesus was, and about the man and his judgment? What did Jesus mean, at the end, about the Pharisees being blind? This Week at Home After dark one evening, hold a celebration of light. Gather candles, flashlights and lanterns. Sing a hymn or two about light (for example, This Little Light of Mine and I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light ) as you light the candles and lanterns. Read today s story. Have cupcakes with birthday candles in them. Play Flashlight Tag. Thank God for light and all the ways in which we enjoy it. Share times when family members saw the light or had an epiphany. What part did God, the Bible or the Church play in these revelations? How were they changed? Use crayons and felt markers to draw pictures of these moments. Talk about spiritual blindness. What makes us spiritually blind? What keeps us from seeing Jesus, following God or knowing what God wants of us? In what ways do we hold back from God, close our eyes to God s love or close our minds to God s call to us? What part do anger, fear of the unknown, pride, independence, doubt, self-interest and/or ignorance play in our failure to see? What do you see in someone? Try to mention something nice about each other that they might not be aware of. I like the way your nose wrinkles when you laugh. I see that you are really generous with your time. I see how hard you try to make something work, even when I would give up. Open your eyes to the gifts that others offer; this is part of being spiritually awake and having spiritual insight. Close your eyes and draw a picture of the room. Imagine how you need to be open to the sounds and feel of the room when you cannot use your eyes. Try to draw every detail of the room as you recall it, with your eyes closed. Then open your eyes and see what you ve missed. When one is spiritually blind, they may miss a lot of the spiritual and mystical life that is in this world, the way that being physically blind makes one miss a lot of the physical life. If you could draw a picture of the spiritual world, what would you see? Would you see love? hope? comfort? peace? Household Prayer Lord God, we give you thanks for sending your Jesus to make us well and to show us how you love us. Help us to give everyone in our family the love that you give to us. In Jesus name. Amen. Lesson 28 The Man Born Blind Weaving god s promises, YEAR 2 2014 by Joanna Leiserson. Published by Morehouse Education Resources, www.morehouseeducation.org. All rights reserved.