Wednesday Gospel Webinar Portsmouth Diocese – Formation for Mission

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

Literal meaning Where? John 9: In Jerusalem, near the temple. When? Feast of Tabernacles - After Jesus has proclaimed himself to be God What? Healing of a man born blind Who? Jesus, disciples, man born blind, neighbours, Pharisees, his parents How? re-creation of the man’s sight, and his journey of faith Why? Jesus the light of the world is recognised through faith

ACCOUNT BREAKDOWN 1-5: Jesus the Light of the world – revealed in darkness: infirmity. 6-7: Jesus heals the blind man: re-creation / baptism 8-12: discussion ex-blind man vs neighbours: ‘the man called Jesus…’ 13-17: discussion ex-blind man vs Pharisees: ‘He is a Prophet’ 18-23: discussion Pharisees vs parents: fear and refusal to believe 24-34: Pharisees vs ex-blind man: ‘if this man were not from God…’ 35-41: Jesus finds the man – profession of faith – meaning of faith

The journey of Faith Initiative of Jesus / gift of God Free response / personal confession of faith Faith and Reason Baptism Seeing through faith

Finding God Jesus: the Light and creator of light Presence and Revelation of God, Creator and Saviour Lord of the Sabbath / Son of Man Pillar of fire (feast of Tabernacles)

Finding the human person Blind man symbol of the whole humanity: darkness / original sin Revelation / healing Faith Human response to divine revelation and action ‘I believe’

Baptism: being plunged in Jesus, the One who is ‘sent’ by the Father Finding the Church The Sacraments Life of God given to us through the sacred Humanity of Jesus – materiality of the sacraments. Baptism: being plunged in Jesus, the One who is ‘sent’ by the Father

Mary, Virgin and Mother, you who, moved by the Holy Spirit, welcomed the word of life in the depths of your humble faith: as you gave yourself completely to the Eternal One, help us to say our own “yes” to the urgent call, as pressing as ever, to proclaim the good news of Jesus.   Mother of the living Gospel, wellspring of happiness for God’s little ones, pray for us. Amen.

Acknowledgments Mosaics artworks: © Fr Marko Rupnik and Centro Aletti www.centroaletti.com With gratitude to the Wednesday Word www.wednesdayword.org