Sacred & Secular

Sacred & Secular

Walking Toward the Pool

What the man born blind reveals about how faith grows

Paul Ian Clarke's avatar
Paul Ian Clarke
May 18, 2026
∙ Paid
Jesus places mud on the eyes of the man born blind. What begins as a physical healing becomes a gradual journey into deeper sight. Painting by Orazio de Ferrari, public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

Welcome to this Monday’s reflection.

If you’ve found these reflections meaningful, you might consider becoming a paid subscriber. Your support helps me continue creating thoughtful, faith-informed writing that explores the sacred in the midst of ordinary life.

Either way, I’m grateful that you’re here.

There is a story in John’s Gospel that I have read many times, and for years I assumed I understood it.

A man is born blind, and Jesus heals him. It is one of those familiar miracles that can become almost too familiar. We know roughly what happens, and so we move on.

But John does not tell the story as briefly as we might expect.

In fact, the healing itself occupies only a few verses. The rest of the chapter is taken up with questions, arguments, suspicion, and, eventually, exclusion. The man receives his sight near the beginning, but his understanding of what has happened unfolds much more slowly.

And perhaps that is the part of the story that matters most.

User's avatar

Continue reading this post for free, courtesy of Paul Ian Clarke.

Or purchase a paid subscription.
© 2026 Paul Ian Clarke · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture