1. Introductory prayer:

Dear Jesus, You really use creative approaches. Mud on the eyes, a little water – and he already sees! Do you think this will work well for me to? This looks so easy. But You know, it’s not complicated and that the focus is elsewhere. And for this I ask you – for faith, that you know what you wish for me to see.

2. Reading – Listening: The Gospel according to John 9,1.6-9.13-17.34-38 – Jesus heals the blind man

9 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.
⁶ After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. ⁷ “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
⁸ His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” ⁹ Some claimed that he was.
Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”
But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”

The Pharisees Investigate the Healing

¹³ They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. ¹⁴ Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath.¹⁵ Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”
¹⁶ Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”
But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided.
¹⁷ Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”
The man replied, “He is a prophet.”
³⁴ To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.

Spiritual Blindness

³⁵ Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
³⁶ “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”
³⁷ Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”
³⁸ Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

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4. Thoughts on the Gospel 

• Gospel passage speaks of Christ as the light. “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world,” says Jesus. At the scene, there are several people. First, there are the students who ask: “Teacher, who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?” Then there are the Jews, particularly their leaders. They are sure that the result of parent’s sins is blindness. In addition, they are very hostile to Jesus. They do not accept the miracles, which he did, that he does not respect the Sabbath. They already decided that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the expected Messiah, to be excluded from the synagogue. In the passage also appear the parents from the blind man. They are afraid of the Jews, so they do not want to have nothing to do with the healing. “Ask him, he is old enough. «
  

  Finally, we are facing a man who was born blind. He trusts Jesus. At His word he goes and washes in the fountain and heals. Trust heals and opens the eyes. And not only that. Trust in the Lord overcomes all objections and ultimately leads to faith. Jews interrogated him, even insulted him, and he in great confidence and without fear testified for Jesus: “He is a prophet.”

• To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him.
• When Jesus meets him again, confidence turns in a confession of faith. “Lord, I believe,” and he worshipped Him. Trust, therefore, heals and leads to faith. Jesus is the light of the world. Anyone who trusts him and overlooks. By contrast, those who lack confidence, remain blind, although their eyes are healthy.
• Let us return to the question that the disciples put Jesus at the beginning of the passage. “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 works of God might be displayed in him. He does not associate disease with sin. He sees the possibility that the works of God may be revealed in it. But connects the sin with another blindness. On the question of Pharisees “Are we also blind?” He responds: “If you were blind, you would be without sin, but as you say, We see, your sin remains.” This is spiritual blindness.
• They think they see. Judge and condemn the blind man and his parents. They are hard also to Jesus. They condemn him, because he does not respect the Sabbath and does not adhere to their regulations. Do not accept his words. Their heart is cold in the dark. They do not feel the need for light because they think they see. They do not need anyone, do not trust and this is their sin. Jesus wishes to tell them about their blindness and also open their eyes. How much beauty awaits them, good relationships, how much light and life! Will they surrender to the light of Jesus? Leave their certainty and omnipotence?
• In Lent we are invited, that we also look at our blindness. Perhaps we are like the Jews, who with their self-sufficiency do not see the need for the light? On the other hand, as the blind man trust in Him who is the light of the world?

4. Meditation – thinking

About everything I have read and what has touched me, I am thinking now. I let my thoughts also touch my heart. Think:

• Where do I blame myself? And where the others? How does Jesus sees it, who is Love? Where does he show me the beauty?
• I talk to Jesus, about my blindness. Allow him to wash me.
• The blind man believed, even when he was tested – and Jesus met him again. What if I believe that Jesus is always with me – what brave step can I make?

5. Personal Prayer

In the next moments of silence, I talk about of this with Jesus. I tell him what I think, what I feel, what I want. I ask him for the grace that I need for … (make your conversation with God)

6. Contemplation – Quiet moment with God

Now I let silence to be in me. I am simply present in God, as He is quietly present in me.

Perhaps from this silence I hear God’s speech, which invites me perhaps in thanksgiving and worship, or to open myself and accept him in my path life and work, maybe He gives me the courage to continue searching for…

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7. Action 

When I walk into a personal relationship with God, he changes me, makes me more loving and encourages me to the concrete action, which is….. (write down your insights for concrete action)

8. Prayer at the end

Father, we are in the middle of Lent. Sometimes is quite difficult to stand… Sometimes I am afraid what you are showing me and I throw it out because it is not my way. I ask for the grace to feel your love, which is patient with me and invites me to the fountain to wash and get the courage and the voice to life.

9. Review of my prayer meditation or reflection

This is my view on what was happening in me at the time, I spent praying. In my reflection, I can help myself with the following questions:

• How was I feeling when I started praying?
• What happened during the prayer?
• What feelings and thoughts could I detect in myself?
• How did I feel at the revelations, which I had during my prayer?
• What did I learn about myself, about God, about his attitude towards me and others and me to him and others?
• How did I finish my prayer?
• What did I receive for my everyday life?
• In the end, I can write the lessons, findings and insights. I can write also, where I had problems, they may have great value in learning about my relationship and myself with God. They can also help to find a more appropriate way of prayer for me.
• Then I thank the Holy Trinity. If I pray with my family or in the community, friends, I can share with them what I felt in this prayer. By prayer for one another, you can support yourself throughout the week.

Lectio divina meditations are published and adapted with permission from the Jesuits home  – ignacijevdom.si.