(1Sm.16:1b,6-7,10-13a; Ps.23:1-6; Eph.5:8-14; Jn.9:1-41) "I am the light of the world." And by that light alone we see. By this light which comes from God we who were born blind, who were born into sin, have our eyes opened. And so having escaped the darkness we "live as children of light." When David was presented before Samuel, immediately the prophet's eyes were opened to the one on whom God's favor rested. His eyes which had first "judge[d] from… appearance," now with the Lord look "into the heart." How clearly he hears the Lord speak to him, "There – anoint him, for this is the one!" And how readily he takes "the horn of oil in hand" and anoints the new king. And how wonderfully "from that day on, the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David." Here is our own baptism in the Lord foretold. Here is our own anointing with the oil of Christ presaged. And as "Jesus made clay and anointed [the] eyes" of the blind man, so in our baptism we find our own anointing, an anointing which washes us clean of original sin, an anointing which prepares our hearts to receive Him – an anointing which opens our eyes to His light. The eyes of our heart now see. Our souls cry out from their depths of the light which has entered in and made them clean. And so we say with the blind man in the presence of Jesus, "I do believe, Lord," and we, too, worship Him as our "cup overflows" with "the goodness and kindness" of God. "Christ will give you light." For this He has come into the world, "that those who do not see might see." In the words of Scripture, Paul entreats us today: "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead." The Lord has come to give us light. As long as we say, "'We see,' so [our] sin remains"; we must be blind, we must recognize sin's darkness encroaching upon our souls… and then we would "have no sin," for then Jesus would remove from us our sin – then He would bring us light. "Everything exposed by the light becomes visible," and so we must bring our sins before Him, and from the dead we shall rise… and with His light we shall shine. May the Lord anoint us all with the oil of Christ, and may we be faithful to that anointing. (Note: In Confession as in Baptism we are washed clean of our sins by Christ, and light is thus brought to our eyes. Constant recourse we have to this preservation of our souls.) Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder" (second part) from Listening to the Lamp, ninth album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, the innocent Lamb is Himself our Shepherd; may we find salvation at His side. YHWH, let us enter into your presence through your only Son, who is the true Shepherd guiding us to you. May we follow in His steps. Even though it lead to the Cross, may we remain near Him, ready to give our lives as He has, as the innocent Lamb for our salvation. Though we are cut to the heart by the truth He speaks in His Word and through His apostles, let us turn to Him in repentance and find His comfort and peace – let us thus find ourselves in your holy arms. O LORD, let our ears be open to hear His voice and His voice alone. Let us not be led astray by false shepherds, false prophets who seek only their own gain and not the welfare of your sheep. It is to sacrifice you call us, not to selfishness, and by laying down our lives, by entering the wounds in His flesh, we shall find eternal rest in your House. Let us be washed clean in His blood and so be saved from corruption.