Better Together
In today’s gospel lesson , we encounter a community struggling with their own fear and anxiety as they face the unimaginable. While out walking, Jesus observed a blind man. What question was burning on the disciples’ hearts, you ask? They wanted to know whether God caused the man to be blind because of his own sinfulness, or whether it was a consequence of his parents' sinfulness. This question is rooted in fear. It assumes: If we follow God and do everything just right, we will be okay. If we choose ourselves over God and neighbor, there will be dire consequences. Maybe even, eternal consequences. This fear is the driving force behind the words and actions of nearly everyone in this story: from the disciples, to the religious leaders, the former blind man’s neighbors and parents. However, Jesus does not get sucked into the whirlpool of fear, and instead reframes the question for the disciples. In The Message translation, Jesus said, “You’re asking the wrong question