Believing is seeing

As Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying out,
“Son of David, have pity on us!”
When he entered the house,
the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them,
“Do you believe that I can do this?”
“Yes, Lord,” they said to him.
Then he touched their eyes and said,
“Let it be done for you according to your faith.”
And their eyes were opened. - Matthew 9:27-30a

In several accounts in the gospels, Jesus is described as "passing by" as he is in the above account from St. Matthew's gospel. In these verses, the Lord is sought after by two blind men seeking his mercy. The cool thing is that these men were blind, yet they knew Jesus was there, and they "recognized" him as "Son of David," a Messianic title. Not bad for a couple of blind guys. For their faith in him, they were rewarded with vision.

This passage presents wonderful challenges to us. First of all, we need to be attuned to the world around us, especially the people we meet, for who knows when the Lord himself will come passing by. I for one do not want to be caught unaware when the opportunity to meet the Lord is presented to me. Second, the blind men sought Jesus; they didn't wait for Jesus to come to them. One thing I have come to understand is that God does not force us to choose to follow him, to seek him out. Our choice to follow Jesus is the first step in our journey of faith. It is only if we choose to seek him that he can be found, that our eyes can be opened, and we can be aware of his mercy. And lastly, as with all miracles performed by Christ, the recipients are informed that they have been healed by their faith. It is only through faith working in love that we receive God's grace, and through that grace, healing. As the blind men were rewarded by their faith with the opening of their eyes, so through the eyes of faith are we able to see God's wonderful plan as it is revealed through Christ. There is no greater reward.

One other thing, the fact that the Lord is "passing by" tells us that he is near to the blind men, near enough for them to know it. As we wait for the coming of the Lord this Advent, let us be mindful that he is near us as well, that he is always "passing by." You never know when the opportunity will arise for our eyes to be opened. Let us have courage and faith, so that when he inquires of us, "Do you believe I can do this?" our answer will be, "Yes, Lord. I believe. Open my eyes."

Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
Then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the dumb will sing. - Isaiah 35:5-6a