A reading from the Holy Gospel according to the Apostle and Evangelist Saint John (Jn 9: 1-38).
Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. If I am in the world, I am the light of the world”.
When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So, he went and washed, and came back seeing.
Therefore, the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?". Some said, "This is he." Others said, "He is like him." He said, "I am he."
Therefore, they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?" He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.' So, I went and washed, and I received sight."
Then they said to him, "Where is He?" He said, "I do not know." They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.
Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.
Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see." Therefore, some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath." Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" And there was a division among them. They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet." But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?"
His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.
His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore, his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."
So, they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, "Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner."
He answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see." Then they said to him again, "What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?" He answered them, "I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?". Then they reviled him and said, "You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples.
We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from. The man answered and said to them, "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing. They answered and said to him, "You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?" And they cast him out.
Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?" He answered and said, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?" And Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you." Then he said, "Lord, I believe!" And he worshiped Him.
Reflection
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ our Lord, to all of you every blessing and peace!
On this sixth Sunday after Easter, we immerse ourselves in a deep and meaningful passage of the Gospel of John: the healing of the born blind. This miracle, which goes far beyond mere physical healing, invites us to reflect on the light of faith, on the recognition of Jesus as the Son of God and on our personal journey towards true spiritual vision.
In the Gospel of John, we see Jesus passing by, seeing a blind man from birth. The disciples ask, "Rabbi, who has sinned, him or his parents, why was he born blind?" (John 9:2). This question reflects a common belief of the time that illness or disability were punishments for sin. However, Jesus answers, "Neither he nor his parents have sinned, but it is so that the works of God may be manifested in him" (John 9:3).
Through a gesture laden with symbols, Jesus performs an extraordinary miracle: "He spat on the ground, made mud with his saliva, smeared the mud on the blind man’s eyes, and said, 'Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam' (which means Sent)" (John 9:6-7). This act calls to mind man’s creation from the dust of the earth in Genesis 2:7, highlighting God’s continual creative work through Jesus, the Incarnate Word, bringing new life and new sight. The young man of Siloam, born without eyes, was the recipient of this extraordinary miracle. With a divine touch, Jesus transformed the mud into eyes and placed them in empty orbits, then ordered the young man to wash. The living water of the pool of Siloam touched those eyes, giving them healing. This event took place in Siloam, where an angel descended once a year to bless the waters. Jesus, who was foreshadowed in Psalm 34:7 as the angel of good counsel (the angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and frees them) and as prophesied in Isaiah 9:6 (great will be his dominion, and peace will not end on the throne of David and on the kingdom, which he comes to consolidate and strengthen by right and righteousness, now and always; this will be the zeal of the Lord of hosts.), he worked this extraordinary healing, demonstrating his divine power as the Pantocrator, as confirmed by Isaiah 64:8: "But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are the One who forms us; and we are all the work of your hands." This account constitutes a precious part of our apostolic tradition.
Origen interprets the pool of Siloam as a symbol of baptism, through which we are washed and receive the light of faith. This perspective offers a deeper interpretation of Jesus' miracle. In fact, the healing of the young man of Siloam thus becomes a sign of baptismal regeneration, where we are freed from the darkness of sin and death to be enlightened by the light of Christ. Just as the young man was transformed from blindness to physical sight, we, through baptism, pass from spiritual death to life in Christ, receiving a new spiritual vision that guides us along the path of faith.
The healing of the born blind is a powerful sign of Jesus' mission as the light of the world. He not only opens the physical eyes of the blind man, but also enlightens the spiritual ones. This miracle symbolizes the passage of the blind from the condition of darkness, representative of ignorance and sin, in the light of faith in Christ. Saint John Chrysostom affirms: "True blindness is that of the heart, and Jesus came to give sight to those who are spiritually blind" (Homilies on John 56:1).
The healed blind man becomes a courageous witness to the power of Christ, despite the pressure and unbelief of the Pharisees. When asked who healed him, he answers with simplicity and truth: "He is a prophet" (John 9:17). Eventually, his faith deepens, and he comes to recognize Jesus as the Son of God: "I believe, Lord!" (John 9:38).
Saint Cyril of Alexandria emphasizes the importance of personal faith and courageous witness. The faith of the healed blind man grows progressively, passing from the partial knowledge of Jesus as a prophet to the full confession of His divinity. This journey of faith invites us to reflect on our spiritual journey and on the need to be bold witnesses of our faith in every circumstance.
Dear brothers and sisters, the Catholic Church has gone through periods of many changes, but when such changes do not reflect the truth of the faith, the true believer begins to ask himself different questions. Compromises are sometimes necessary to make progress, but when certain compromises call into question Christ, who is God, and the Church’s mission as the ark of salvation, one is moved to go back to the roots of faith in the genealogical tree of the communion of saints. Historically, every sincere search inevitably leads to the doors of the Orthodox Church, which remained intact as a light for the souls and salt of the earth.
And speaking of which, I’d like to share with you a dream I had long ago. It was almost noon on a beautiful sunny day. I was walking through the streets of a city, looking for an open church so I could confess. However, all the churches I met were closed. I was about to lose hope when I finally found an open church: an Orthodox Byzantine Church.
I entered and saw a priest who was confessing, so I patiently waited for my turn. When I approached to receive the sacrament of confession, the priest asked me: "Why do you come to me?".
I answered him: "Because all the other churches are closed!". And he replied: "To which church do you belong?". I answered: "To the Church of the Holy Apostles". He said, "Ah, I know them. Come on". I don’t remember anything else, because then I woke up.
This dream represents my search for an immutable truth and a firm faith. Even when it seems that all the doors are closed, there is always an open way for those who seek with faith. The Orthodox Church invites us to rediscover the roots of our faith, keeping alive the light of truth and the mission of the Church as a guide and salvation for all souls.
This experience of personal transformation and call to service reminded me of another powerful example of liberation and new life in Christ, as presented to us in the reading of the Acts of the Apostles. Just as the early Christians found a new direction and renewed hope in their faith, we too are called to revisit and renew our spiritual commitment by responding to God’s call with an open heart and a vigilant mind. In this context of response to the divine call, we reflect on Paul and Silas, imprisoned for proclaiming the Gospel. Despite their difficult situation, they were not discouraged but, on the contrary, they prayed and sang hymns to God, transforming their cell into a place of worship.
Like the blind man who courageously testified to the power of Christ before the Pharisees, I too found the strength to witness to the truth of the Orthodox faith and to live my vocation with renewed fervour. This journey of conversion reached its peak during my priestly ordination, a moment when I deeply felt the presence of God, of his beloved Mother and the call to serve His Church.
Dear friends, the miracle of the healing of the born blind invites us to reflect on our spiritual blindness and on the need to be enlightened by the light of Christ. The witness of the healed blind man spurs us to be bold in proclaiming our faith, despite difficulties and opposition, placing our trust in God who alone can work miracles, deliver us and save us by giving us a new life in him.
Let us pray that the Lord will continue to work in us and through us, manifesting His works and glory, and that we can always walk in the light of His truth and merciful love. Amen.
May God the Almighty Father bless you now and always. Amen
Archpriest Michele Alberto Del Duca.