Sunday of the Blind Man
On this day, the sixth Sunday of Pascha, we celebrate the miracle of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ upon the man born blind.
The Savior met a man at the Temple on the Sabbath, who was born blind and had not seen the light, nor did he know the difference between day and night. He possessed only the sockets but no eyeballs. The Lord's disciples asked, "Rabbi, who sinned, this one or his parents, that he should be born blind?" (Jn. 9:2) Christ replied, "Neither this one sinned nor his parents, but in order that the works of God should be made manifest in him" (Jn. 9:3) The Lord then spat into the dirt, made clay, rubbed it in his eyes and told him to wash in the waters of Siloam, a famous spring in Jerusalem, which was situated outside the city walls. The Savior did not send him there because his eyes were covered in clay, nor did the pool have healing power, but instead to test his faith and obedience. Furthermore, at Siloam there would many witnesses of the cure of the man coming with his sockets anointed with clay. The blind man washed in the pool receiving the power of sight and proclaimed that Jesus healed him and confessed his faith in Him, the One True God. From that moment forward, the blind man followed Jesus.
By Thy boundless mercy, O Christ our God, Giver of light, have mercy on us. Amen.
Since my soul’s noetic eyes are blind and sightless, I come unto Thee, O Christ, as did the man who was born blind. And in repentance I cry to Thee: of those in darkness Thou art the most radiant.
Kontakion of the Feast