Evil

John 9:1-12

          The New York metropolitan area has had to deal with some major storms this last year.  Most of our beautiful country is not immune to tragedy. There are hurricane prone areas, earthquake zones, tornado alley, volcanoes and more. And yet I knew as soon as New York was impacted by Sandy, there would be some bible thumping, anti-gay wackadoo who would blame Sandy on 'the gays'. If you are a careful watcher of the media as I am you may have noted that 'the gays' are also responsible for 9/11 and countless other tragedies that are alleged to be God's vengeance on sinners.

           Jesus clearly says this is not so. In fact I find it difficult to believe that God makes such judgements and punishments while we are here on this earth. Judgement at the end of this life, perhaps. Here, not so much. It's very difficult to rationalize such interventions while maintaining the free will that is a hallmark of our creation. 

         What such events clearly show in my eyes is our own hardness of hearts, perhaps; our capacity to cooperate with evil, perhaps; evidence of SoCal sin, perhaps; but most of all show us the heights we can soar to as humans when we drop our daily masks and guards and reach out to help each other.

There is no doubt in my mind and the many volunteers who worker near ground zero, that there was a infield and pronounced presence of love, cooperation and concern after that tragedy. 

        Evil exists. Shit happens in life. They are opportunities for us love and care for each other.

          

As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’ When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbours and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, ‘Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some were saying, ‘It is he.’ Others were saying, ‘No, but it is someone like him.’ He kept saying, ‘I am the man.’ But they kept asking him, ‘Then how were your eyes opened?’ He answered, ‘The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, “Go to Siloam and wash.” Then I went and washed and received my sight.’ They said to him, ‘Where is he?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’