The Blessedness of Seeing

Two thousand years in time gone by
An age not long ago
Was born a man which neither eye
Of sight would ever know
Bereft of blessedness to see
Beheld he not the light
Deep in darkness bound was he
His suffering and his plight

Oft he begged while on his knees
He sought for alms and food
In desperate cries and piteous pleas
None heard or understood
Many looked him sore to see
Or hurried past him by
His blindness, his calamity
Was caught by no man's eye

Perchance some men noticed him
When to them he came near
And on an intellectual whim
Made question he could hear
"His blindness must of sin be blamed!"
"His parents or of he?"
Expecting one of two be named
With cool curiosity

A voice of kindness, loud and clear
Of truth and reason rang
As comfort words fell on his ear
With love did overhang
"None of them from guilt and shame"
"Shall sin unto be laid."
"This man works glory to God's name."
Declaring so was said.

A gathering silence around them lay
The voice yet spoke again
"I have work to do today"
"While I with you remain."
"Soon shall come on us the night"
With more words He went on,
"In this world I am the light"
"For I have not yet gone."

He with gentle hands to move
On blind eyes He them laid
With unseen power full of love
To him, the healer bade
That he should swiftly wash his eyes
At Siloam the pool
With haste the man did quick arise
And cleaned with waters cool

With opened eyes now blessed to see
Was unimagined sight
Yet unbelief and doubting be
Some could not see the light
Accusations quick they made
Of sabbath-work He did
"He broke the law of God," they said
In hate and envy hid

The vision-gift God did bestow
On he who could not see
Yet greater sight had he to know
By faith, who made it be
Was darker darkness wiped away
Emerged the glorious light
And dawned in him the brightest day
To worship God a-right

"This man, my darkness doth unblind
Unseeing, now to see!
My darkened past to put behind
His light illumines me!
The Son of God, honour and love
Him I believe and know
O light of heaven, shine from above
And touch me with your glow."