On Aiming to Truly See
March 15, 2026
Rev. Traceymay Kalvaitis

John 9: 1-41
As [Jesus] 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 neighbors 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.”
They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a prophet.”

The Pharisees did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid if they confessed Jesus to be the Messiah they would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
So for the second time the Pharisees called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” Then they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” They answered him, “You were born entirely in sin, and are you trying to teach us?” And they drove him out.

Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped him. Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.” Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not blind, are we?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.
***

Today’s sermon is titled On Aiming to Truly See. A little over a year ago, in late February of 2025, I received a phone call from two congregants who said they were eager to take some kind of public stand in support for Ukraine. This was on a Wednesday; I clearly remember. The President of Ukraine had just been bullied in the Oval Office and that event seemed such a blatant betrayal in our duty as a free nation to defend democracy abroad. I suggested we meet to discuss some form of meaningful action to take. We met the following day, a Thursday, and we made a commitment to host a recurring Sunday vigil. We chose the word vigil intentionally. We would not be protesting; we would be vigilant in our support of democracy. We were hopeful that a vigil for democracy would bridge some of the political partisanship. We were hopeful that a wide range of political persuasions would find a common cause to stand for. We carefully named the event a Vigil for Democracy: An Experiment in Non-Partisanship. All through the winter we have stood each Sunday. For me, the cold and snow and rain have been the most difficult to tolerate. The second most difficult thing to tolerate have been the outward expressions of disapproval, at the least, and expressions of malice, at worst.

This past week I actually had to look up what it means when someone raises their middle finger. Usually two or three times each week I have this gesture directed intentionally towards me. I know this because each week I stand at the beginning of the vigil with a sign that simply reads Vigil for Democracy. I place myself at the beginning of the line of sign holders for two reasons. I stand there holding the sign and an American flag, so that drivers and passengers have an idea of what they are entering. The second reason I stand at the beginning of the line is to gauge the level of hostility and, in the unlikely event I see driver or passenger reaching for a weapon, I have perhaps a second or two to warn others of impending danger.

So picture me standing there, holding my innocuous sign and our flag, waving and smiling like every passerby is my long-lost friend. It may be too much to hope for to think that passersby can see me there for who I am… a citizen exercising my rights, a woman, someone’s mother, and someone’s daughter. Lately I have my dog with me, so we could add dog-lover to the list. And yet, when obscenities are yelled and obscene gestures directed, I know that the passerby is not able to see me as a person, a neighbor, even; I am seen as a symbol of something that deeply disturbs them.

In our lengthy scripture reading for today, it is the temple authorities in Jerusalem who are deeply disturbed. Jesus is back in Jerusalem, again, causing good trouble. This time he has violated the Sabbath by restoring sight to a blind man. An inquisition ensues. The man’s parents are called in and they are careful not to say too much because they feared being thrown out of the synagogue, thrown out of their community, this was a legitimate fear as one’s standing and connection in community was (and still is) absolutely essential to thrive and prosper. The son who had his sight restored is brought before the authorities twice. The second time, he has had it with their insinuations that Jesus is demonic. He replies to them, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where [Jesus] comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” The temple authorities, we read, “then drove him out” [of the temple].

Then a beautiful thing happens. Jesus seeks him out. The man at once recognizes Jesus’s voice and Jesus has one last question for him. “Do you believe?” A more accurate translation would be “Do you put your trust in me?” Jesus spoke Aramaic and he would have used the word hayman הימן meaning “to trust.” This story was originally written in Greek and the Greek word used was πιστεύω pisteúō, (pist-u-o); to put trust with. Jesus asks the man, “Do you trust me?” The man answers, “yes,” even though this answer means he may no longer be accepted by his family, his community, or his religious leaders.

This story is not really about the act of healing that the man experienced. This story is about what happened after the man’s sight was restored. What should have been a cause for celebration was instead seen as a threat. It was a threat to those in positions of power because things were happening that they could not explain and they could no longer control the narrative. It was a threat to the community because it upset the status quo. It was a threat even to the man’s own parents because suddenly they had to choose between staying where they knew they belonged or choosing to place their trust in someone and in something unexplainable.

This is a story about the resistance that our teacher, Jesus of Nazareth faced. This is a story about the resistance anyone will face when aiming to follow his teachings. When we follow the example of Christ we will be changed because we will see with a new sight; we will see not just with our eyes, but with our hearts, as well. When we follow the example of Christ we can see the precarious position of those who are in power and afraid to lose it. When we follow the example of Christ, we can see a role for ourselves when faced with the suffering of others. We do not turn away; we ask how we can make a difference. When we follow the example of Christ we place our trust in the Great Mystery that is God. Our choices may not make sense to others; we may be questioned, our choices will likely be challenged. We may be yelled at; we may receive obscene gestures or worse. When we follow the example of Christ, we seek to really see the other, knowing that we can not know their story and how they came to hold the beliefs and opinions they hold unless we have a chance to be curious and ask. I can not do that as the people drive through the vigil. I can not ask them about their life experience. But I can smile and really mean it. I can wave and extend all the good energy towards them that I can muster. I can aim to see that they, too, are a person, someone’s son or daughter, someone’s beloved, perhaps, and I can remember that the Christ light is within them, too.

In closing, I extend an invitation for us all to practice seeing with more than our eyes. May we see with our minds, too, aware that each and every one of us has a story; aware that each and every one of us carries unseen burdens and there is so much we do not and can not know. Friends, may we also see with our hearts, and remember we are commanded not to judge; we are commanded to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31) and we are reminded that whatsoever we do to others, we do to Christ (Matthew 25:40). May we aim to truly see…clearly, completely, compassionately. So be it. Amen.

Pastoral Prayer
In the sacred silence, another world begins to unveil itself to us. Distances become irrelevant and the spaces between us are of little consequence. Our neighbors’ concerns are held tenderly, as if they were our own, and in these moments we are limitless…our capacity to love is infinite, for in these moments we are part of All That Is. God is within and all around us as we meet the demands of our lives. God grant us vision that sees beyond our shortcomings, vision that sees behind the violence, vision that shapes a path from where we are to where you want us to be. This we pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

Benediction
Beannacht Blessing by John O’Donohue

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
May the clarity of light be yours,
May the fluency of the ocean be yours,
May the protection of the ancestors be yours.

And so may a slow wind work these words of love around you,
An invisible cloak to mind your life.