Guest Writer – Rev. Paula Gembala
Scripture: John 9:1-7 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”. Then he went and washed and came back able to see.
Thought for the Day: I recently went in for cataract surgery. I was taken to a room and told to lie on a table. The staff then draped my face and prepared me for the surgery. When Dr. Mann entered the room, I was surprised at his good-humored personality. He greeted each of his staff cheerfully and came over to talk to me. He made a little small talk and then asked if I was ready for the procedure. When I told him I was in fact ready, he said, “Well we never start any procedure without saying a word of prayer.”
He covered the eye he was going to work on with both of his hands and prayed. He began asking for my sight to be restored and continued the prayer asking for guidance for himself and his hands and mind as well as for his staff.
As I lay there, I couldn’t help but think of the blind man whose sight was restored when Jesus placed the mud on his eyes. This simple act of love by Dr. Mann made me feel at ease and took away any anxiety I was feeling about this procedure.
Prayer: Loving God, thank you for steering me to a doctor that believes in the power prayer. Help me to share simple acts of love through the use of intercessory prayer. Amen.
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