Word to the Wise
Wednesday, February 19, 2020 - Wednesday in the 6th Week in Ordinary Time
[Jas 1:19-27 and Mark 8:22-26]When Jesus and his disciples arrived at Bethsaida, people brought to him a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on the man and asked, "Do you see anything?" Looking up the man replied, "I see people looking like trees and walking." Then he laid hands on the man's eyes a second time and he saw clearly; his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly." [Mark]
What???? Jesus had to try TWICE to heal that blind man??? I doubt my friends in the ophthalmology and optometry fields would endorse the method, either! This gospel story has much to offer us in the way of questions! Maybe the reason had to do with the man's faith! Jesus had to take him by the hand to begin with. And like many others, maybe the blind man had to come by stages to faith. Perhaps he is like so many of those who encountered Jesus - just interested in a cure and not in the one who is doing the curing - sort of like the usual doctor/patient relationship!!
Scripture scholars remind us to put this story in the broader context of Jesus' efforts to get his disciples and others to look beyond "signs and wonders" to what Jesus is proclaiming about himself and the Kingdom of heaven. It's a bit like a teacher trying to get the students not only to learn the material at hand but to see it as part of a bigger education and to trust the teacher!!! Will they ever "get it?"
Perhaps we can be challenged to recognize our own "blind spots" when it comes to learning what Jesus is trying to teach us. These blind spots could make it hard for us to teach others! Jesus will take us by the hand and not give up on us - that's our consolation. AMEN