Dare We Open Our Eyes?: Lent 4, 2012

Once one's eyes have been opened to reality, can we really ever shut them? And if we shut them, are we choosing ignorance rather than embracing knowledge? Once our eyes have been opened, and we choose to shut them, are we living falsely?

As I read the Lectionary texts for this week (Numbers 21: 4-9; Psalm 107; Ephesians 2: 1-10; John 3: 14-21) these are questions I'm asking myself. John's gospel has three groups of people with an internal struggle: the disciples, the Jews/Judeans, and those in the middle who have experienced what it means to be a disciple (and would consider themselves to be one ... but in secret) but refuse to do anything because they fear the Jews/Judeans (those who have the power in the local synagogue). I want to point out that this is an inter-synagogue dispute, a family dispute. This is NOT an anti-Semitic diatribe. This is like saying that Paul Revere called out "The British are coming, the British are coming!" Um, the colonies were British at the time.

John's community is struggling with what it means to be faithful to the Torah. One group says being faithful means following Jesus, the polar opposite says, No. The group in the middle says, "follows Jesus," but acts out "No." The harshest criticism from John is for the middle group, the one's who know better but don't do anything, the folks like Nicodemus (who, you notice, comes to Jesus secretly in the dark).

But also like those in the desert, there are times when we remember the way things were before and wonder what it would be like to be back there again. Oh ... to have the garden instead of this manna!

Lent is a time to be honest with ourselves, whether we like it or not. And ... I'm not sure I really like these questions I'm asking myself. Because they point as much at me, as anyone. Where are those places in my life where I'm choosing to keep an eye shut (or both) although I know better? If someone was looking at my life, could they deduce what I believe and say I stand for?

What I do know is that I can say with Paul that it was not my own actions that opened my eyes, but rather grace. And it is this sense of grace that I hold onto, as I try to live out my faith in ways that reinforce what I believe. In the meantime, I continue to look at what is raised in the desert with faith that it will heal me, too.

Blessed Be

Joel