Word to the Wise
Monday, November 20, 2006 - 33rd Monday in Ordinary Time
[Revelation 1:1-4; 2:1-5 and Luke 18:35-43]He shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!" The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, "Son of David, have pity on me!" Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" He replied, "Lord, please let me see."
It is important in this incident to "see" who is blind and who isn't. The blind man asks what all the commotion is about, and the crowd says that it is "Jesus of Nazareth." The blind man, however, calls out, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!" This goes beyond what the crowd said. This is a profession of faith! But the crowd doesn't "see" it. Instead they try to silence the man because he is a nuisance. Jesus, however, sees the man's faith and calls him over. There is much to be said about the action of Jesus in healing the Blind Man. But I simply want to call attention to the fact that the "crowd" surrounding Jesus is blind to the blind beggar. This is often the case. The beggars and others similarly situated are not "seen" and when they call for attention, they are told to keep silent. In fact, it may take as great a miracle on the part of the Lord to help the blind crowd "see" as it does to give the Blind Man his sight! Perhaps this scripture is a challenge to us collectively to ask the Lord to give us the ability to "see" those who suffer and who have been silenced. When we recognize, through our blindness who Jesus is and who the Blind Man is, perhaps then we can (perhaps with embarrassed faces) ask Jesus to let us "see" again. AMEN
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