Who Is My Neighbor?

John's account of Jesus healing the blind man offers a closer look at several cases of spiritual blindness, cautioning readers not to miss the chance to help others.

John chapter 9 begins with Jesus passing by the blind man. "As Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And 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, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.'” (John 9:1-4)
Instead of focusing on what they might do to help the man in his need, the disciples wasted time trying to assign blame. They spoke as though they were above the situation, not face-to-face with it.

Jesus Heals the Blind Man

"When He (Jesus) had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, 'Go, wash in the pool of Siloam'...so he went and washed, and came back seeing." (vs. 6-8)
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I remember as a child the story of the boy who cried because he did not have a new pair of shoes, then he saw a man who had no shoes.  The man who had no shoes cried until he saw a man who had no feet.  Today perhaps we should forgo castigating someone who has no skirt and get off our backsides [not the multitudinous agencies we 'assign' to do our alms' service for us] but for each one of us to 'feed the hungry, clothe the naked, comfort those who mourn, visit the sick, take in those who are pregnant, shelter the homeless, befriend and mentor the sinner...'   Love your neighbor as yourself.

Who is my neighbor?  Jesus replied, "There was a man..."  Oh, you know the Good Samaritan story in the Bible, don't you?  Oh, and don't forget the Prodigal Son, either.  And, go tell Peter....And, Jesus saith unto her, Mary...