John 9:1-41—In the Gospel lesson Jesus,
the Light, gives spiritual vision. A man
born blind receives physical and spiritual sight. It takes a whole chapter to
tell the story of how Jesus brings spiritual light to a man born blind.
The actual miracle is told in a few verses, but the healing gives
an occasion for Jesus to bring a man from agnosticism to faith. We see the
formation of faith: from “the man called Jesus,” to “prophet,” to “a man from
God” to “Son of Man.” In contrast to the light of the healed man, the Pharisees
are in the darkness of sin and unbelief.
In Jesus’ day, the popular view was that sin caused suffering. In
the case of the man born blind, the disciples asked whose sin caused the
handicap. Jesus answered that no one sinned in this case. Some suffering is
caused by sin, but we should see suffering as an opportunity for God’s healing.
The Strong Name of the Trinity – March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day and the hymn, “I Bind unto Myself Today” LSB #604 is attributed to Patrick. Known as the apostle to the Irish people, he used the shamrock to explain the Trinity to the people. The hymn beautifully explains the Trinity:
The strong name of the Trinity
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.”
Collect for St. Patrick: Almighty God, who in thy providence didst choose thy servant Patrick to be the apostle of the Irish people, to bring those who were wandering in darkness and error to the true light and knowledge of thee: Grant us so to walk in that light that we may come at last to the light of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who Livet and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. -from the Book of Divine Worship
Collect for Friday of the week of Lent 3: Merciful Father, fill our hearts with your love and keep us faithful to the gospel of Christ. Give us the grace to rise above our human weakness. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives, and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen [2]-17 March 2023
[2] Collect for Friday of the week of Lent 3, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Vol. III © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau. Delhi, NY
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