“One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see.”
Certain songs are so iconic that several different singers make recordings of them, each shaping the song with different tones, accompaniments, and even at times additional lyrics. One such song is “Amazing Grace”. It has been sung and recorded by opera, country, pop and you name it genres of singers. There are recorded versions sung by Chris Tomlin, Reba McEntire and probably others, that add the words: “My chains are gone, I’ve been set free. My God, my Savior has ransomed me, and likes a flood his mercy reigns, unending love, amazing grace.”
“Amazing Grace” is based on today’s Gospel of the man born blind in John 9:1-41. The Pharisees did not want to accept the radical healing that Jesus had performed on this man born blind since birth. They ask him if Jesus is a sinner; he answers he is not certain if he is or not then responds with the line listed above: what mattered was that he was blind and now he sees! The chains that limited his ability to work, to engage in a full way with society were lifted. He was set free from darkness and now was living in the light of Christ. His healing was like a flood, a torrent of God’s mercy and love poured onto him. Truly, his healing was amazing grace.
In the Gospel those who should have recognized the light of Christ did not; they remained in their darkness. We fall into the darkness of lack of belief, sinfulness and despair. We may not be physically blind, but we certainly struggle to live in the light. May the Lord’s amazing grace shower upon us so we can see the treasure we have in Christ.