I am the light of the world…

Sixth Sunday after Pascha, Sunday of the Blind Man

Acts 16: 16-34; John 9: 1-38.

Dear people, today we have recounted for us the healing of the blind man by our Lord and Saviour. In the account, we have the blind man going back to the Pharisees to show that he is indeed healed. Their response is to outright refuse to believe that He is God. Yet for all the signs and miracles performed by our Lord and Saviour, they could not believe. There are many people like this today who deny God’s existence despite the greatness of His creation.

Think about it for a minute – how does something – creation – come from nothing? This is an impossibility. Things do not spontaneously come into being – there has to be a cause – this being, God. For some, to believe in God challenges them, because if there is a God then there is an absolute standard of behaviour which mankind must adhere to. No matter all the signs and wonders, these types of people will never believe – even if a great miracle were to happen right before them.

Christ is indeed the light of the world, for through Him the Glory of the Creator is reflected onto all people who accept Him and are received into the fullness of His Church. This is why the frequent and worthy reception of the Holy Mysteries – Sacraments – is of vital importance to Christians. This is especially so with the Holy Mystery of the Eucharist. This is the Sacrament par excellence, for through its worthy reception we are connected to our Lord and Saviour in a mystical way. To receive the Holy Mystery of the Eucharist, one says yes to our Lord and Saviour, and through receiving His precious Body and Blood we receive His grace.

St. Irenaeus has this to say on the Eucharist:

“When, therefore, the mingled cup and the manufactured bread receives the Word of God and the Eucharist becomes the blood and body of Christ, from which things the substance of our flesh is increased and supported, how can they affirm that the flesh is incapable of receiving the gift of God, which is life eternal, which is nourished from the body and blood of the Lord and is a member of him? …… that flesh which is nourished by the cup which is his blood and receives increase from the bread which is his body. And just as a cutting from the vine planted in the ground fructifies in its season, or, as a grain of wheat falling into the earth and becoming decomposed rises with manifold increase by the Spirit of God, and becomes the Eucharist, which is the body and blood of Christ, so also our bodies, being nourished by it, and deposited in the earth, and suffering decomposition there, shall rise at their appointed time. And how say they that the flesh passes into corruption and partakes not of life, which is nourished by the Lord’s body and blood. Either let them change their opinion, or decline to make the offerings which I have mentioned. But our opinion is in harmony with the Eucharist, and the Eucharist again confirms our opinion. And we offer to him the things which are his own, showing forth accordingly our communion and union, and professing a resurrection of flesh and spirit. For as bread from the earth, receiving the invocation of God, is no longer common bread but a Eucharist composed of two things, both an earthly and heavenly one, so also our bodies, partaking of the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible having the hope of eternal resurrection.”

There you have it – this Eucharist is the Divine food which, through a worthy reception, will enable us to rise from the dead at the last day. This is because through it we are connected to the source of our life – our Lord and Saviour. In a way, through receiving the Holy Mystery of the Eucharist, our nature is covered over by Christ in that, through this Holy Mystery, we ‘put on Christ’ as we did in Baptism. Through this Holy Mystery we are made new again and our sins are washed away, for this Holy Mystery is more than a remembrance of His passion, death, and Resurrection. Rather, it is the joining of us to these events so that we can rise with Christ on the third day. Through this Holy Mystery, Christ lifts our fallen nature and raises it to eternal life with Him.

Through Holy Baptism we become icons of Christ, and through the Holy Eucharist we are joined to Christ in a mystical way – being given the life we need to sustain us unto eternal life.

To quote the Epistle on the life and Martyrdom of Saint Giovanni Scholarici:

“When the Bread of the Promise and Wine of Gladness have been offered for the life of the faithful, the presbyter prays; asking, not demanding, as many do in prayer! Hence, such is rendered via Epiclesis – the invocation/calling upon the Holy Spirit via rite of Holy Succession in the Apostles within Ordination! Thus, the Spirit who lives, moves, and breathes in His Church outpours Himself within that which has been offered and, in reception, sanctifies them. The reception where Christ may once again break the Bread of His Body and pour out the Wine of His Blood into the lives of the faithful, so that they may partake of God who is Father of creation, Son with His created, and Spirit rendering His own people with the gift of life that never dies!The angels marvel at this grace bestowed upon man – the presbytery of Christ empowered with the gift of Emmanuel entering into the lives of His faithful at each Divine Liturgy: doing this as He commanded so that He may always be with us until He returns! Hence, we should recourse to this marvellous Mystery of mysteries the Lord makes available via His priests – when we are invited for dinner, we come with pleasure and feast sumptuously. Thus, so should we do when we come to Church in fully participating and not merely spectating or allowing repugnant, scrupulous teachings in baring us from the fruits of the Paschal Harvest!Hence, Father Giovanni shared that same zeal for the Divine Mysteries as our Father amongst the Hierarchs, St. Ignatius Bishop of Antioch, constantly shared and lived with the early Christians of both Antioch and Rome; pillars of certainty for a Church now that is uncertain of its own shadow as nationalism spreads as cancerous tumours! Truly, the Apostle to the Gentiles (St. Paul) reminded them back then and exhorts unto us: Humanity, which exults in its worldly knowledge, falls short and becomes paranoid when that which is supernatural (Divine knowledge) makes Himself known!”

This is why the Holy Church has always guarded the Holy Eucharist, for it is the most precious thing we have on Earth – the very presence of our Lord and Saviour.

This is why the Holy Martyr Saint Giovanni Scholarici, a priest of the Diocese of Messina, thought not of his own personal safety when his church was attacked by unbelieving pirates. What did he do? He ran into the altar and took the Holy Mystery of the Eucharist with him in an attempt to stop it getting into the hands of the unbelievers.

Here is a brief account of his Martyrdom:

“The town of Piranio came under the authority of the Orthodox Bishop of Messina, to which Father Giovanni was a priest of his fold (in the Orthodox Church each bishop, although in communion with the Holy Synod of that land – Sicily – is independent and runs his Church according to the needs). Thus, Piranio was constantly plagued by Ottoman pirates, and such at the time were contesting Christendom as a payback for the crusades and other political conquistorial gains. Furthermore, these pirates, under the command of the Ottoman dictator Khayr al-Din Barbarossa, terrorized the Sicilian coast in the year 1544 AD.With the terror of invasion and the possibility of that which is sacred being profaned in mind, Father Giovanni, who was a faithful servant of the Church and devoted to his family, rushed from his home taking his young son and subdeacon Giuseppe to the parish church – removing the reserved sacrament and holy chrism oil from the altar.In truth, this devotion for the Holy paved the way to endure the bitter trial of martyrdom father and son would soon face – a devotion that comfortable clergy in the diaspora would betray at the first sign of danger!!! Hence, Father Giovanni clung to his son, who held the Holy Mysteries (Consecrated Lamb/Eucharistic Bread and Oil of Chrism vessels), as they were tortured and decapitated – buried by the Orthodox Christians in that very church. Their bodies were later translated to the Cathedral Church. Upon examination, their bodies were found to issue a scent of myrrh – a common occurrence with the bodies of Orthodox Saints.”

Here we have the account of two brave Saints who chose death rather than let the Holy Gifts be profaned by those who did not believe.

What a great example to us who seek to try and live a good, holy, and loving life – for to do so shows the light of Christ to all, for we are called to be His hands and feet in this world.

Remember, every action done to others is an action done to Christ – so always seek to do the best you can for others, even if this action is as small as prayer or a smile.

Therefore, this week, focus on doing what you can for others, so that they may see reflected in you the light of Christ – for they will know that you belong to Him through your love.