Sunday, March 8, 2026

Dear brothers and sisters

John 9:1-41 is not only the story of a man healed of physical blindness, but also a powerful revelation of the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees, whose pride and hardened hearts kept them from recognizing the truth. On the one hand, the man born blind did not lose faith or blame God despite the hardships he endured. In his search for true meaning and hope, he encountered Jesus and received far more than restored sight. With hu-mility and trust, he allowed Jesus to open not only his eyes to the beauty of the world, but also his heart to the light of salvation. Step by step, his faith deepened. He moved from simply calling Jesus “the man,” to recog-nizing Him as a prophet, and finally worshiping Him as the Son of Man.

While remaining in faith, walking in hope, and standing firmly in truth, he became both a true believer and a courageous witness who saw not only with his eyes, but with his heart. On the other hand, being confident in their knowledge of the Law and their authority within the community, the Pharisees, refused to accept the tes-timony of the healed man. Blinded by pride and fear of losing control, they dismissed the miracle, rejected the truth, and cast him out. They denied the compassionate ministry and divine identity of Jesus, who came to bring light to those in darkness. Finally, the Pharisees allowed their spiritual blindness to prevent them from embracing God’s mercy.

This profound Gospel invites us to examine our own sight and blindness, both physical and spiritual. First, we must remember that suffering, including physical limitations, is not necessarily a punishment from God. Ra-ther, it can become an opportunity for God’s glory to be revealed, a path of growth in faith, and a testimony born of our free and faithful response. Like the man born blind, we are called to trust that God can lead us out of darkness, surrender ourselves in faith, remain steadfast in truth, and walk forward in hope. Second, we should care even more about our spiritual vision than our physical sight. In a world often marked by confu-sion, moral compromise, and isolation, it is easy for us to lose clarity. Therefore, we must continually ask God to fill our minds with wisdom, our hearts with love, and our lives with mercy, so that we may resist tempta-tion, avoid harmful influences, and choose what is right.

Finally, we are invited always to seek, learn from, and follow Jesus, the Light who shines in the deepest dark-ness. No matter how others may question or reject Him, we cling to Him in faith. Like the man born blind, may God’s grace, especially in His Sacraments, always strengthen our soul and help us to recognize Jesus not only as a healer, but as our Lord and Savior. May we always see Him with the eyes of faith and experience His transforming grace each day of our lives.

Sincerely yours in Jesus Christ and Our Lady of La Vang!

Reverend Kiet Anh Ta.