Dino and I were near the restaurant’s door when a boy walked up to us, strings of sampaguita in his hand, asking if we could buy him a two-piece chicken meal for dinner. I ignored him and thought he was demanding.

      At the counter, I ordered the usual. Dino asked for a two-piece chicken meal to go. “Aren’t you hungry?” I asked, expecting him to eat right there. “I’m full,” he said, even if I knew he wasn’t. But I let him be.

        Several chews later, we were at our feet. Outside, Dino looked for the poor boy. The latter appeared, and the takeaway food met his hands.

         I was ashamed of myself. Here was a colleague who was practically a clown at work, not affiliated with any Charismatic community, and an “unlikely” person to do something charitable. There I was, saying grace before meals but failing to see those who can’t utter the same prayer. I was blind to that boy in need.

      Opportunities to be Jesus to others may have passed us simply because we chose to look away. We chose to ignore. May the Lord open our eyes to see the suffering around us and share the love of Christ. Osy Erica (osy.erica@gmail.com)

Reflection:Do you see the “small” people walking past you? Or do you only see yourself and your needs?

Lord, restore my sight so I can see everything distinctly — the poor, the weak and the lonely. Make me Your helping hand to them. Amen.

St. Claude la Colombiere, pray for us.

In times of trial and tribulation let us hold on to the promise that God gave Noah – that He will never allow us to be totally destroyed. There will always be a faithful remnant who will keep the Gospel alive no matter how dark the days become. God will prevail over evil. Let this give us hope.

6 At the end of forty days Noah opened the hatch he had made in the ark, 7 and he sent out a raven, to see if the waters had lessened on the earth. It flew back and forth until the waters dried off from the earth. 8 Then he sent out a dove, to see if the waters had lessened on the earth. 9 But the dove could find no place to alight and perch, and it returned to him in the ark, for there was water all over the earth. Putting out his hand, he caught the dove and drew it back to him inside the ark. 10 He waited seven days more and again sent the dove out from the ark. 11 In the evening the dove came back to him, and there in its bill was a plucked-off olive leaf! So Noah knew that the waters had lessened on the earth. 12 He waited still another seven days and then released the dove once more; and this time it did not come back. 13 In the six hundred and first year of Noah’s life, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the water began to dry up on the earth. Noah then removed the covering of the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was drying up. 20 Noah built an altar to the Lord, and choosing from every clean animal and every clean bird, he offered burnt offering on the altar. 21 When the Lord smelled the sweet odor, he said to himself: “Never again will I doom the earth because of man, since the desires of man’s heart are evil from the start; nor will I ever again strike down all living beings, as I have done. 22 As long as the earth lasts, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”

R: To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.

12 How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me? 13 The cup of salvation I will take up, and I will call upon the name of the Lord. (R) 14 My vows to the Lord I will pay in the presence of all his people. 15 Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones. (R) 18 My vows to the Lord I will pay in the presence of all his people, 19 in the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem. (R)

GOSPEL 

Jesus heals the blind man gradually. We are “works in progress” and God is working bit by bit to help us grow in holiness and faith. Let us place our hope in the victory of good over evil, and God over all other things. Let us choose the way of God over the ways of sin and the world.

May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our hearts, that we may know what is the hope that belongs to his call.

22 When Jesus and his disciples arrived at Bethsaida, people brought to him a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23 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?” 24 Looking up the man replied, “I see people looking like trees and walking.” 25 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. 26 Then he sent him home and said, “Do not even go into the village.”

think: Jesus heals the blind man in stages. What does this mean for you?

Read the Bible in one year  2 Corinthians 9-13

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

thank You, Lord, for: ______________________________________________________

THE BLIND WILL SEE

The people bring the blind man to Jesus. They beg that Jesus would touch the man. See the faith of the people. The blind man meets Jesus, not able to see, and leaves the presence of Jesus seeing clearly. Interestingly, Jesus leads the blind away from the village. The healing is done privately so as not to make a commotion and reveal the messianic secret, at least not yet. Another interesting point that Mark tells us is that the healing of blindness is gradual. It is a process.  Jesus had to place His hands on the man twice for the healing to happen.

       When we come to meet Jesus, conversion does not usually happen overnight. Of course, some have the “Damascus Road” experience like St. Paul. But for most of us, our conversion develops gradually. Our faith needs to mature so we can “see” Jesus.

       There are many stories in the Gospel of the blind being able to see. This is a manifestation of the Messiah. Remember when Jesus opened the scroll in the temple and read those inspired words of the prophet? “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me... the blind will see...” (Luke 4:18-19/Isaiah 61:1-2). By placing our faith in Jesus, believing that He is the Son of God, we begin to see again.

      Blindness is a metaphor for sin. Sin distorts our seeing Jesus. Often we cannot see because we are blind — not physically but spiritually, which is the worst blindness anyone can have. What blinds us are our selfishness, our lack of love and understanding, our unforgiveness, anger and unhealthy attitude towards each other. This blindness is epidemic in our society. We need to have the courage to admit this sin, to repent and seek healing. Sometimes we need others to support us and lead us to the One who alone can heal and set us free. The people who brought the man to Jesus are to be commended for their faith and love by bringing their friend to Jesus. Sometimes we are the blind who need healing; sometimes we are like the people who must bring our brothers and sisters to Jesus. In whatever circumstance we find ourselves, let us come to Jesus, for He will heal us indeed and the blind will see. Fr. Brian Steele, MGL

---------- REFLECTION QUESTION ----------

What are the areas of “blindness” in your life?

Lord, heal me and touch me. Remove the blindness from me that I might see again. Amen.