6th Wednesday - Healing the Blind Man

 

 In today’s Gospel, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, begging Him to touch and heal the man. Jesus did something that seems very unusual. He took some spit and placed it on the man’s eyes, and then laid His hands on the man. Jesus then asked him, “Do you see anything?” The man responded, stating that the people looked like walking trees. The man’s eyesight was partially restored, but not completely. A second time Jesus laid hands on the man, and then the man saw perfectly.

Usually, when Our Lord cured someone, it was almost always instantaneous. Why wasn’t this man able to see right away. Did Jesus not have enough power, the first time, and so had to do it again? No, of course not! Jesus is God and is all-powerful.

The reason why it was a gradual healing was because the man’s faith was weak. The healing therefore, depended upon the man’s faith. His faith had to grow in order for him to be healed completely. The more the man’s faith grew, the more He trusted Jesus could heal him, and the more, he was able to see. Recall that Jesus was not able to work many miracles, in His hometown of Nazareth, due to the lack of faith of the people.

St. Teresa of Avila said, “Give us light, Lord. Behold, we need it more than the man who was blind from birth, for he wished to see the light and could not, whereas nowadays, Lord, no one wishes to see it. Oh, what a hopeless ill is this! Here, my God, must be manifested thy power and thy mercy!” Today, as we prepare to receive Jesus in Holy Communion, let ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to obtain for us the gift of faith, that we may see the face of Jesus, Her Son, in the light of His love.