From the Friars: The Sword of Sarcasm
Sarcasm is usually sinful because in reality it is almost always a barely disguised insult and unnecessarily hurtful. However, in the case of the man born blind of today’s Gospel, we can easily understand his use of sarcastic language given the circumstances.
Jesus and the pauper, por Andrey Mironov – Link
Suddenly, unexpectedly, this man was able to see after Jesus anointed his eyes with clay and told him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. Imagine the joy and excitement he must have felt as a new universe burst forth out of his formerly dark world. The Pharisees immediately assumed that Our Lord could not be a genuine man of God because he performed this healing on the Sabbath. They asked the cured man what he thought. “He is a prophet,” he replied.
Later they pestered him again to repeat his story and here we see the man making his sarcastic comments: “Do you too want to become his disciples? …Why this is a marvel! You do not know where he comes from and yet he opened my eyes.” The mockery of his words ironically made clear the foolishness of the Pharisees’ attitude. Finally, he stated the obvious truth of the whole event: “If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
Sarcasm is a form of irony. Jesus Himself used irony and paradox when he said that he came into the world “that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” The Pharisees claimed to be experts in the things of God but in their arrogance were blind to the fact that the Messiah was standing right in front of them.
The blind man not only gained the use of his eyes but more importantly saw the truth of who Jesus is. “He said, ‘Lord I believe’; and he worshipped him.”
Pride blinds the intellect. Humility allows the light of truth to shine. The next time we are the victim of a sarcastic comment maybe we should consider the possibility that the other person sees something that we do not. A holy Lent to all.
–Fr. Peter