The eye doctor tells me I have cataracts in both eyes.

It tells you what I know about such things that I thought cataracts were like rapids in a river.  The Nile River, for example, in Africa has rapids that are called “cataracts.”  So, I imagined cataracts to be like the rocks in a river that make rapids—something that could be removed so the river could flow easier. 

I had Jesus’ words about the log in my eye and the splinter in my neighbor’s eye come to mind.  Just a matter of removing what’s in the way and vision would be restored.  I tend to look at Matthew 7 that way—just take care of the immediate problem, the speck, the splinter or the log—and go forward.   Of course, Jesus is talking about a bigger change than that.  He’s talking about a change of heart. A change in the way you see yourself, your neighbor and Jesus.

You who have had cataract surgery know there is more involved that scraping off something from your eye.  While it’s an easier surgery than it was—remember how people were sandbagged in place for a week (mostly because of the spinal anesthesia)? —it’s still surgery.  Something needs to be removed—indeed, replaced—so I can see better.

I have noticed that there’s been a haziness occasionally in my vision.  I dismissed it as smoke in the air or the way the light was shining.  After all, it couldn’t be me that was wrong!  The problem, however, is me.  Something wrong with me is keeping me from seeing clearly or properly.  So, I will have that fixed.

In John 9, Jesus talks about seeing clearly as opposed to being blind.  While He has the man born blind as His sermon example, the Pharisees don’t see His point.  In fact, they become Jesus’ point.  They don’t see what’s wrong with them—in this case, pride, arrogance and a persevering clinging to the belief that they’re the only ones who really see—and so they are blind to who Jesus is.  Jesus fixes what’s wrong with the man born blind.   Jesus offers His “fix” to the Pharisees—the “fix” He makes on the cross and through the tomb for us.  His actions make the change in me so that I can really see myself and my need to be “fixed.”

I think that it’s kind of fun that we end the church liturgical year with Christ the King Sunday.  This year, Thanksgiving follows Christ the King.  Now, that’s appropriate!  We remember the whole of the “why” Jesus came; the “what” Jesus has done and continues to do as we wait for the final “when” He comes again so that we can truly see Him—and ourselves.

Waiting for that “when” we have…

…Joy in the journey,

Pastor Jeff Shearier