4th
Sunday of Lent, Year A – March 15, 2026
1 Sam 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a; Eph
5:8-14; Jn 9:1-41
Theme:
Anointing, Light, and Water
A.
A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Jn
9:1-41
1.
Historical
and Literary Contexts
Our Gospel story takes place during
the Jewish Feast of the Tabernacle, as reported in Jn 7-9. Two themes
characterize this festival: Light (cf. Zech 14:7) and Water (cf. Zech 14:8).
The Jews light up the Temple with enormous menorahs throughout the night for a
week. On the final day of the festival, they draw water from the Pool of Siloam
and pour it out on the Temple's altar as a prayer for rain, fulfilling various
Old Testament prophecies about a river flowing from the Temple in the end times
(see Ez 47; Joel 3:18; Zech 14:8).[1] In the context of Light
and Water, the two themes of this celebration, the evangelist recounts the
healing of the man born blind to illustrate Jesus’ declaration to the Jews that
he is the “light of the world” (see 8:12; 9:5). In the passage directly before
our Gospel reading (8:31-59), Jesus engages in a serious debate with the Jews
about his divine identity. This debate ends with the Jews picking up stones to
throw at him because he declared that before Abraham was born, “I AM,” meaning
he is God. Jesus concealed himself and left the temple area. He encountered the
blind man from our Gospel story while fleeing from the Jews (Jn 8:58-59). The
story of the Good Shepherd (10:1-21) immediately follows our Gospel reading.
2.
Form,
Structure, and Movement
3. Detailed Analysis and Synthesis
Vv.
1-5. Jesus and his disciples. The disciples’ question about who sinned—this
blind man or his parents—reflects a Pharisaic belief that birth defects were
caused either by parental sin or the child's own sin in the womb.[2]
Jesus’ response in v. 3 does not imply that God intentionally caused this man’s
blindness so he could later perform a miracle. Instead, Jesus first makes clear
that his blindness is not due to sin, and then he frames this miracle within
the scope of his ministry.[3]
The pronoun “we” in v. 4 shows that Jesus includes his disciples in his
ministry, which here involves revealing God's works. Therefore, the time to do
Jesus’ ministry of revealing God’s works is not at night (referring to when he
will be arrested and crucified) but during the day (referring to the period
before his possible arrest and crucifixion). Jesus ends their conversation with
a statement he already told the Jews (see 8:12): “I am the light of the world”
(v. 5). With this declaration, Jesus claims that he replaces the Temple’s light
used at the Feast of the Tabernacle and extends it to the whole world.
Vv.
6-7. Jesus and the man born blind. Jesus heals the blind man by combining
traditional healing practices of his time—such as the clay he smeared on the
man’s eyes—with divine action, shown in his command to go and wash in the Pool
of Siloam. Spitting on the ground may recall the story of creation, where God
formed Adam from dust (clay) (see Gen 2:7). Therefore, applying the mud to this
man’s eyes suggests that Jesus is recreating him by transforming him from
darkness into light.[4]
The narrator explains that the Pool of Siloam means “Sent.” This suggests that
Jesus is the Sent One (see 9:4). Therefore, it is not the water from the Pool
of Siloam that healed the man, but his contact with Jesus, the Sent One. The
man responds confidently through the narrator's four actions: he went, he
washed, he came back, and he was able to see (v. 7). Obedience to Jesus’ word
results in a miracle.
Vv.
8-12. The man and his neighbors. Jesus’ miracle on this man caused a division
among the neighbors. Some recognize him, while others do not (vv. 8-9a). To
confirm his identity, the healed man uses the phrase “I am” (v. 9b). In the
Gospel of John, Jesus is the only one who uses this divine phrase “I am,” which
is God’s name given to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14). When Jesus uses
this phrase, he means that he is God. Therefore, this passage is the only
instance where someone other than Jesus uses this phrase. By applying the
expression “I am” to describe this healed man, the evangelist shows that Jesus’
miracle allowed this man to share in Jesus’ divine identity. As the story
continues, this healed man will be questioned about who healed him, how, why,
and where his healer is. The first questions come from his neighbors, who want
to know how he was healed and where the healer is. The healed man can only
recall some facts (v. 11) but does not know where the healer is (v. 12). His
answer remains the same to all repeated questions.
Vv.
13-17. The healed blind man and the Pharisees. The narrator includes the
Pharisees in the scene and mentions the Sabbath as the day Jesus made the clay
and anointed the blind man. This is considered a violation of the Sabbath by
the Pharisees. When asked how he was healed, the cured man repeats part of his
answer from v. 11. Jesus’ miracle causes a split among the Pharisees, similar
to what happened with the neighbors in vv. 8-9. The disagreement among the
neighbors was over whether the cured man was the same beggar, while the
division among the Pharisees stems from questions about Jesus’ origin. Some
Pharisees argue that because Jesus violates the Sabbath, he cannot be from God.
Others respond by pointing to Jesus’ sign (miracle) as evidence that he cannot
be a sinner.[5]
They then ask the healed man for his opinion about Jesus. Earlier in v. 11, he
called Jesus "the man,” but here he admits, “He is a prophet” (v. 17).[6]
Vv.
18-23. The Pharisees and the parents of the healed man. The Pharisees want the
parents of this healed man to openly deny that their son was born blind and to
claim that this is not a real miracle, thereby suggesting that Jesus is not
from God. V. 22 indicates that the parents are afraid of being expelled from
the synagogue if they acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah. They then have their
son defend himself: “Ask him, he is of age; he can speak for himself.” (v. 21).
Vv.
24-34. The Pharisees confront the healed man once again. He stands before them
as if in a courtroom. They want him to solemnly endorse their conclusion that
Jesus is a sinner, but he does not (v. 25). The phrase “Give God the praise”
(v. 24) is a formula used in the Old Testament to affirm the truth of a
testimony. The Pharisees repeat the same questions they asked him in vv. 15 and
17, pressing him to testify against Jesus. While his parents failed to testify
about Jesus’ divine origin, here he turns the tables on the Pharisees, now
questioning and accusing them of failing to recognize that Jesus comes from
God. He develops a logical argument to demonstrate Jesus’ divine origin. The
first point is that everyone knows that God listens only to those who do his
will, not to sinners (v. 31). The second point is that everyone knows no one
has ever opened the eyes of a person born blind before (v. 32). Therefore, if
Jesus were not from God, he could not perform these miracles (v. 33). The
conversation ends with the Pharisees throwing the healed man out, meaning they
excommunicate him (v. 34).
Vv.
35-38. Jesus encounters this man again shortly after the Pharisees
excommunicate him. Their conversation focuses on “Faith in Jesus.” Addressing
Jesus as “Lord,” the healed man earnestly declares his faith. The narrator
notes that he worships him (v. 38).
Vv.
39-41. Jesus and the Pharisees. I came into this world for judgment.
Jesus does not say he came into the world “to judge” (cf. Jn 3:17, 5:24; 8:15).
What he means is that his presence in the world causes people to decide whether
they believe in him, like this man born blind (“those who do not see might
see”) or not believe in him, like the Pharisees (“those who do see might become
blind”).[7]
4.
Synthesis
Jesus
emphasizes that birth defects are not caused by anyone's sins. He urges his
disciples to begin their ministry while it is still “day,” meaning before he is
arrested. As the light of the world, Jesus brings light to a man born blind by
opening his eyes. This miracle causes division among the neighbors and the
Pharisees. The Pharisees threaten the parents of the man with exclusion from
the community unless they falsely testify against Jesus. While these parents
fear the Pharisees and fail to tell the truth, the healed man confidently tells
the Pharisees that Jesus is a prophet. As a result, they exclude him from the
community. Jesus comes to meet him. During their conversation, the healed man
expresses his faith in Jesus and worships him. Jesus’ final words are directed
to the Pharisees. Because they refuse to admit their sins and do not believe in
him, their sins remain.
B.
Pastoral
Implications
1.
Liturgical
Context
We are on the fourth Sunday of our
Lenten journey. Today’s liturgy invites us to reflect on the themes of
Anointing, Light, and Water. The first reading recounts how Samuel anointed
David as king of Israel. In the Gospel, after Jesus “anointed” the unnamed man
born blind with clay made from his saliva and soil, he uses “water” to bring
“light” to this man. Unlike the Pharisees, who did not believe in Jesus’ divine
origin, the cured man believes in Jesus and worships him. In our second
reading, Saint Paul reminds us that we were in darkness before baptism, but now
we are in the light of the Lord after baptism.
2.
What
the Church Teaches Us Today
Our Gospel story begins with Jesus
and his disciples discussing the origin of our suffering (vv. 1-5). The
Pharisees believed that birth defects were the result of either parental sin or
the child's own sin in the womb. Today, many people share this belief. Jesus
disagrees with this idea and teaches us that our suffering is not necessarily
caused by someone’s sins, but rather a part of Jesus’ ministry to reveal God’s
works to the world. He then invites us to join him in doing this work right
now, when it is “day,” meaning while we are alive. Let us reveal God’s works by
visiting and helping the poor, marginalized, and needy.
Jesus healed this man with the
anointing of clay and the command: “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam.” This
Easter, Jesus will do the same with the catechumens. He will anoint them with
Chrism oil and wash them with baptismal water. Then, they will be filled with
the Holy Spirit and receive Jesus in Holy Communion. These sacraments of
initiation will “re-create” them. The rest of us, the baptized, will experience
this same “re-creation” through the renewal of our baptismal promises. Like the
blind man in our Gospel, let us obey Jesus on our Lenten journey.
The healing of this blind man
caused divisions among the neighbors (vv. 8-12) and the Pharisees (vv. 13-17).
The neighbors’ division concerns the cured man, while the Pharisees’ division
focuses on Jesus’ divine origin. Some neighbors recognize the cured man as the
same person who used to sit and beg, while others believe he is someone
different. These two appearances (“him and not him”) happen when Samuel anoints
David in our first reading. God told Samuel not to judge David’s appearance
because he (God) looks into the heart (1 Sm 16:7). The same two appearances
will also occur after the catechumens receive the sacraments of initiation, and
the rest of us—the baptized—renew our baptismal promises on this Easter Vigil.
We will have the same physical appearance but be spiritually reborn. Therefore,
the divine phrase “I am,” which the cured man used to describe himself, also
applies to us because we will be transformed into the image of Christ, share in
Jesus’ divinity, and become the “other Christ.”
The Church calls us to stand firm
in our Christian faith. Like the parents of the healed man, many people
continue to deny their Christian faith out of fear or other reasons. Our Holy
Mother Church encourages us to imitate this healed man and always uphold our
Christian faith in all circumstances. Nothing and no one can compel us to deny
our faith in Jesus. Baptism makes us the “other Christ.” We know that Jesus did
not deny his faith in God the Father until his death on the cross. Because of
our Christian faith, the world may reject us as the Pharisees did with this
healed man. We know that Jesus, who came to encounter this healed man, always
encounters us in the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist and Confession.
During this Lenten season, let us take this opportunity to recognize our sins,
regret them, and confess them. In our second reading, Saint Paul reminds us
that before meeting Jesus, we were in darkness, but now, with Jesus, we are
light. Therefore, we should live as children of light, producing every kind of
goodness, righteousness, and truth. He urges us to avoid participating in the
fruitless works of darkness and to expose them.
May this Eucharistic celebration
help us always be children of light by living out our Christian faith and
regularly confessing our sins. Amen.
Rev. Leon
Ngandu, SVD
Pastor of
Holy Family Catholic Church, Jackson, MS &
SVD USS
Biblical Apostolate Coordinator
[1] John
Bergsma, The Word of the Lord: Reflections on the Sunday Mass Readings for
Year A (Steubenville, Ohio: Emmaus Road Publishing, 2022), 105.
[2] John
Bergsma, The Word of the Lord: Reflections on the Sunday Mass Readings for
Year A, 105.
[3] Urban
C. von Wahlde, “John” in The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First
Century. Third Fully Revised Edition, 1415.
[4] John
Bergsma, The Word of the Lord: Reflections on the Sunday Mass Readings for
Year A, 106.
[5] Francis
J. Moloney, The Gospel of John, 293.
[6]
Francis J. Moloney, The Gospel of John, 293.
[7] Francis
Moloney, The Gospel of John, 301.
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