Today is the Sixth Sunday of Pascha, the Sunday of the Blind Man from the Gospel of the Evangelist John (9:1-12).
During the Festal Paschal Season up until the great Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord, the priest holds the lighted three branch Troitsa, symbolic of the light of the Resurrection at various times throughout the Liturgy. During this Paschal Season, the hymns reflect and resound with the themes of light, glory, brightness, radiance and splendor.
Today on the Sunday of the Blindman, it is the theme of Light that permeates this day. Christ is the Light of the world, “the light that comes into the world and shines on all humanity”.
The healing of the Blindman, which has been recorded by the Evangelist John, is a victory of light over darkness. Christ, who is the Light, gives physical light to the eyes of the blind man. But it is even more important that Christ also gives Spiritual Light to the soul of the healed man who thus becomes a true son of the light.
In the hymnography of the day, it sings, “the eyes of my soul are blind! I come to You, O Christ, in repentance. I cry out to You as the man born blind; You are the light above all brightness shining upon those in darkness!” The Fathers of the Church wrote about the rich symbolism in the healing by Christ of the blind man. St. Irenaeus interpreted that Jesus’ act of making clay was a symbol of the creation of humanity now being recreated by the same eternal Word of God. It is interesting that the Fathers of the Church symbolize all of fallen humanity which needs enlightenment.
In the early Church the story of the blind man was utilized as a Baptismal Lesson which was read by catachemens on Pascha before their Baptism and Chrismation into the Church for it signified their cleansing from sin and their enlightenment by the light of Christ. It represented their and our own illumination into the body of Christ.
Thus on this last Sunday of Pascha and the Sunday before the Ascension of Our Lord, let us as did the blind man, repent and seek Spiritual Healing in our own earthly lives and receive the Light, our Lord Jesus Christ, with great joy, casting off those worries and doubts that sometimes prevent us from being in the fullness of the Church.
May the Risen Lord grant us the brightness and radiance of the Pascha of the Lord as we prepare for His glorious Ascension.
With much love and entreating Christ to bless you and keep you and your family in His abiding embrace!
