Now we know that God hears not sinners: but if any man be a worshiper of God, and does his will, him he hears.
All Commentaries on John 9:31 Go To John 9
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
Now we know, &c. How can this be? For if sinners penitently ask pardon God vouchsafes it, and frequently bestows on sinners temporal blessings, and spiritual blessings also, if they ask for them. But I reply (1.) God ordinarily does not hear sinners; sinners, I mean, persisting in their sin. Yet sometimes, though rarely, He hears even them. So Jansen. This is plain from Scripture (see Psalm 59:1, Psalm 59:2; Proverbs 28:9; Psalm 1:16 [Psalm fifty?]; Malachi 2:2). But of the just it is said, "The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers" ( Psalm 32:16). And, "The eyes of the Lord are oil them that fear Him" ( Sirach 15:20).
(2.) Secondly, and more befittingly to the case in point, He hears not sinners, so as to work miracles to establish their sanctity as He did by Jesus, to testify that He was the Messiah. So Maldonatus on this passage. (See also Suarez, tom. ii. de Relig. lib. de Orat. cap. xxv.) "God heareth not sinners if they pray with an evil intention," as e.g, to confirm their hypocrisy or lies.
(3.) S. Augustine (De Bapt. contr. Don) replies that this blind man spoke only generally, being still a catechumen, and not yet sufficiently instructed in the Faith. For generally it is not true, nor the view of Scripture, which in this place only states what was said by the blind man.
Hear S. Augustine, "He speaks as one not yet anointed (i.e, a catechumen). For God does hear sinners also. For else the publican would say in vain, "God be merciful to me, a sinner," from which confession he obtained justification, as this blind man obtained enlightenment."
From this passage S. Cyprian (Ep. lxiv. and lxxx.) and the Donatists who followed his teaching inferred that Baptism by an heretical minister was invalid, and ought to be repeated; because a heretic is a great sinner whom God hears not. But quite wrongly. For in like manner, Baptism administered by a Catholic Priest living in sin would be void, and would require to be repeated. I say therefore that the efficacy of the Sacrament is one thing, the efficacy of prayer is another. For a sacrament derives its efficacy ex opere operato, but prayer ex opere operantis, from the sanctity and character of him who prays. And therefore if a sinner (a heretic, e.g.) baptizes, this sacrament is valid, and derives its efficacy from the institution of Christ, who confers grace by the Sacrament. For Christ is the original author of Baptism, who baptizes by His ministers as by instruments. Besides, though God hears not the prayers of a sinner, as a private person, yet He hears the prayers of the same person, in his public capacity, because he is a minister of the Church. For the Church is holy, as having Christ as its holy Head, and as having many faithful and holy members, to whose prayers God hearkens.
