Faith

Friday, March 13, 2026Faith

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Our physical senses can deceive us, especially in matters that run deeper than the surface.

I have always loved the hymn "Amazing Grace," with its poetic acclaim for the goodness of God and the unmerited transforming power of grace. The fourth line of that hymn has been on my mind this week.
In the Gospel passage from John last Sunday, we heard of the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. When she first meets Jesus, she is less than polite, even hostile. "You Jews," she says, reminding Him of the tensions between her people and His. As the conversation continues, she shows more respect, calling him "sir," and showing interest in His claim that He can provide living waters. She misunderstands and imagines He is speaking of some new kind of well that will require less effort. As He goes on to amaze her with His knowledge of her life, she grows more respectful: "I see that you are a prophet." By the end of the passage, she is speculating about the Messiah. A little later, she returns to her village and witnesses to Jesus as the Messiah. What we have here is an example of an encounter that opens the woman's heart to the truth. As she experiences the presence of the Lord, everything changes, including her perspective. Now, she can see.

For this Sunday, we have a more literal instance of one who is born blind and is restored to sight (John, Chap. 9). At the same time, the man will come to physical sight and deep insight about the truth of Jesus. The man did not call out to Jesus for healing, as happens in other passages. Jesus goes to him and restores his sight. When questioned about Jesus, the man is at first non-committal. As the questioning continues, he declares Jesus a prophet and restates the simple truth, "I was blind, but now I see." He is ejected from the gathering when he asserts that Jesus "is from God," and the passage ends with the man saying, "Lord, I believe" and worshipping Jesus. Over the course of this chapter, we have another instance of one who comes to understand the truth through an encounter with the Lord.
The first reading for this Sunday will come from 1 Samuel and it will teach us about the power of God to see to the heart of the person: "Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart" (16:7b). Even as the verse praises God, it reminds us that the human perspective is often limited. Our physical senses can deceive us, especially in matters that run deeper than the surface. In John 9, the blind man may come to insight, but the religious leadership, who enjoy fine physical sight, make themselves blind to the Truth that is Jesus. The blind man had an advantage; he knew that he was blind and that he needed healing.
These passages offer key insights for our Lenten reflection and prayer. First, they reveal that the Lord knows us truly. He sees past our masks and delusions to the heart. He sees us, He knows us, and He loves us. They reveal the truth that when we encounter the Lord Jesus and trust His love for us, we are transformed. We find healing for our souls, and the obstacles to true sight are removed. As we understand Him, we understand ourselves and others. We will say with the formerly blind man, "I once was blind, but now I see!"

- Archbishop Richard G. Henning is the Archbishop of Boston