Why things happen

Sometimes, even grownups don't know the answers -- and in this week's Gospel (John 9:1-41), Jesus tells us it doesn't always matter!

Jesus saw a man begging who had been born blind. "Whose fault is it that he's blind -- his or his parents'?" Jesus' followers asked. "Neither," Jesus answered. "He is blind so others can see God's power in him." Then Jesus healed the man. People kept asking, "How did Jesus cure you?" The man told them: "Only someone from God could do this." Then he followed Jesus.

Jesus' followers spent lots of time asking why things happened. When they saw the man who was blind, they wanted to know why. They figured he must have done something wrong to be blind. Jesus told them that it didn't really matter. The man wasn't blind because God was punishing him; he was just born that way.

Learning why things happen is a part of growing up. You feel better when you have answers to your questions. Jesus gave one answer to His followers: He said the man was blind so people could see God's power in Him -- and showed that power by making the man see.

Jesus knew having all the answers doesn't matter, but He also knew people like asking, "Why?"

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK: Jesus, teach me it's okay not to have all the answers! Amen.