The Sixth Sunday of Pascha: The Healing of the Blind Man
Gerald Largent
As we approach the final days of the Paschal season, the Church gives us one more powerful encounter with Christ's healing power: the story of the blind man (John 9:1–38). Celebrated on the Sixth Sunday of Pascha, this Gospel reading invites us to see with more than just physical eyes. It calls us to spiritual sight.
The man in this account was blind from birth—a condition considered, in his time, to be the result of sin. The disciples ask Jesus, "Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" The Lord answers profoundly: "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him." In these words, Christ reframes our understanding of suffering. It is not always a punishment, but sometimes a means through which God reveals His glory.
Christ heals the man by making clay with His spit, anointing the man's eyes, and then telling him to wash in the pool of Siloam. This act echoes the creation of Adam from the dust and reminds us that Christ is the Creator, restoring not only physical sight but also a deeper vision of the truth.
What follows is a confrontation with the Pharisees, who remain spiritually blind despite their physical sight and religious knowledge. The formerly blind man progresses from calling Jesus a prophet to finally worshiping Him as Lord. His journey reflects the path each of us takes—from darkness to light, from ignorance to faith, from blindness to vision.
The Sunday of the Blind Man is not just about a miracle that happened two thousand years ago; it is also about us. It is about our blindness, stubbornness, and resistance to seeing Christ in our lives. It is also about our potential to open our hearts and recognize Him, even in unexpected ways.
As we near the Feast of the Ascension, the Church is preparing us to see beyond the physical—to lift our eyes to Heaven, recognize the presence of the Risen Lord, and bear witness to the Light of Christ who illumines all.
Let us pray for eyes to see—not just the world around us, but the deeper spiritual reality of Christ's presence among us.