Lk 18:35-43 The Blind Leading The BlindAs Jesus approached Jericho a blind was sitting by the roadside begging, and hearing a crowd going by, be inquired what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.”
How quick we are in judging! How quick we are in condemning! May the Lord have mercy on our souls! We are like the blind leading the blind in our negative thoughts and horrible deeds. In our attempt to do justice we put everyone, good and bad, to the sword! We take no prisoners. We walk away and leave all behind: dead or buried alive.
But there is one blind man that led the blind to safety, to life and to hope. He was blessed for he could not be manipulated by sights. He was blessed because he could not see Christ’s humanity; that is, the heavy burden placed upon the Lord’s shoulders, the weariness under his eyes or the dirt under the Lord’s finger nails. Yes, the blind man was truly blessed because he could not see how similar the God-man’s lowliness was to his! If he could, then I believe he would have called out to the Lord like the rest. He would have called not out of respect and adoration but out of curiosity and superficiality.
Thank God we cannot see the Lord. Thank God we are like the blind man! Thank God we can only see Him through the eyes of faith. Thank God we cannot see his humanity. What would we say about Him? What would we call Him? Would we say that He never answers his e-mails, text messages or phone calls? Would we say that He never has time for me, or that He is too opinionated, too high and mighty, too pie-in-the-skyish? Would we harp on Him and say He should “have known better?” Would we track His ratings and follow His blog? Would we wait a His slip up and look for it in National Enquirer?
Thank God we cannot see the Lord. Thank God He no longer walks upon the earth. Thank God He is with His heavenly Father. Thank God He no longer is subjected to us!
Oh fate, how you enjoy twists and turns! Oh God, how you bless the lowly. We are most definitely poorer creatures of God today because we abort the lowly! Once upon a time these children of God were abandoned or hidden from society. Today, they are aborted. And we have become so much poorer – “blinder” - for it. We are “blind-er” to authentic beauty because we no longer see the needy in society or experience their faith, hope and love in life and in God.
Blessed are the lowly, for the Kingdom will be theirs! The crippled came to see Jesus. Their twisted legs saved them and made them followers of Jesus well before those who could walk began to follow! The lepers came to Jesus for cleansing. Their sores saved them and made them clean well before those who claimed to be clean were cleansed from all their sins!
So just like the crippled and the leper, the blind led others to Christ. Their faith helped others to believe beyond sight. In today’s Gospel passage, the blind man helped his brothers and sisters to see beyond their sight; to go beyond the facts and to experience a love superior to oneself! The blind help all of us to see better; that humility is necessary ingredient for surprise! That when you least expect it, something extraordinary can happen through trial and tribulation, suffering and pain, prayer and cries!
