A Prayer about Being Open to Learning New Truths

“You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out. John 9:34

Jesus, our Glorious Teacher,

Open our eyes, 

remove our blindness, 

that we may see more of your glory. 

Forgive us for any ways 

we are like the various groups 

in the story of the blind man you healed (John 9)—

the neighbors, who are only mildly skeptical, 

the Pharisees, who deny that you are from God, 

the Jews, who refuse to believe the miracle you worked, 

or even his own parents, 

who fear acknowledging the truth about you. 

Make us more like the blind man 

who received his sight 

and was able to see 

more than just the faces of his accusers. 

He said of you, “He is a prophet” (John 9: 17). 

He said of you, “If this man were not from God, 

he could do nothing” (John 9:33). 

He asked the Jews if they wanted to be your disciples, 

but they “reviled” him (John 9:28). 

Oh, Lord, free us from the error of the Pharisees, 

who believed they could see 

and because of their pride, 

their “guilt remain[ed]” (see John 9:41). 

Healing Lord, give us sight. 

Give us the ability to see that apart from you, 

we can do nothing, we know nothing. 

Give us the open heart to learn new things from you, 

new things about you, 

for you are “gentle and lowly” in heart, 

and from you, 

we will find rest for our souls and our bodies (see Matt. 11:29-30). 

In your glorious name we pray. Amen.

Read John 9:1-41.