DAILY READING John 9:1-11 REFLECTION   Assigning Blame By Elaine Pierce Isn't it interesting that the disciples wanted to know why the blind man was born blind: "who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? (v. 2) " There had to be a reason they could understand.....it reminds me of Job's well-meaning friends. Initially they were very sympathetic to Job's misfortunes. They travelled a great distance to be with him. They spent a week with him in great sympathy before they...

DAILY READING John 6:1-24 REFLECTION  He's Not Safe - He's the King! By Elaine Pierce In these 24 verses Jesus is busy: he feeds 5,000 people with 5 small loaves of bread and 2 pieces of fish, and he walks across the Sea of Galilee to join the disciples in their boat. John doesn't record what the reaction of the disciples was when he turned such a small amount of food into enough for 5,000 with plenty left over (although I imagine they were amazed and almost incredulous: how did he do...

DAILY READING John 5:1-15 REFLECTION   Jesus Heals By Elaine Pierce "Do you want to get well?" Why did Jesus ask the invalid this question? Isn't it obvious he wanted to be healed? Jesus knew he had been there a long, long time - 38 years. Why didn't the man answer Jesus by saying "of course I want to be well!" Notice his response: "Sir, I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred [ this was the 'magical moment' that people believed the water had healing powers]. While I...