Sixth Sunday of Pascha (Man Born Blind)

On the sixth Sunday of Pascha, the Sunday of the Man Born Blind, we see Christ restore sight to a man blind since birth. When Jesus and his disciples come across the man, they ask if his blindness is a result of his or his parents' sins. Jesus quickly clarifies that the man’s blindness was not a punishment for sin, but rather an opportunity for God’s work to be displayed. 

Jesus then spits on the ground, imparting his Spirit into the dirt and creating mud. He anoints the man's eyes, allowing him to see. This act is similar to baptism, where a person is re-created and becomes a new person in Christ. 

The man's faith grows throughout the story, from passively receiving Jesus' healing to acknowledging him as a prophet and finally as the Son of Man. Jesus does not just restore the man's sight but gives him sight, he never had before. The Pharisees, on the other hand, deliberately blind themselves to Jesus' teachings and refuse to see him as the Messiah. This invites us to reflect on our own spiritual sight. Do we allow Jesus to enlighten us, or do we refuse to confront our own sinfulness? Jesus enlightened us in baptism and continues to do so as we grow in our faith and into the divine life.