Preparation
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, Sovereign God,
ruler and judge of all,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
In the darkness of this age that is passing away
may the light of your presence which the saints enjoy
surround our steps as we journey on.
May we reflect your glory this day
and so be made ready to see your face
in the heavenly city where night shall be no more.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.
Luke 18.35-end
Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar Near Jericho
As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard a crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.’ Then he shouted, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Those who were in front sternly ordered him to be quiet; but he shouted even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Jesus stood still and ordered the man to be brought to him; and when he came near, he asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ He said, ‘Lord, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.’ Immediately he regained his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, praised God.
Reflection
Jesus said: Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.
It is often said that losing one’s hearing is worse than losing one’s sight. This argument is predicated on the belief that one’s sense of hearing is enhanced as it strives to compensate for the loss of sight. Whether this is true or not, many of us will struggle to imagine what it means to be deprived of any of our five senses. Some of us will recall one of the side-effects of the Covid 19 virus … temporary loss of smell and taste. Suddenly, those who were afflicted in this way, had to think about such fundamental issues as the purpose of eating. What was the point of preparing an appetising meal if it was reduced to a bland collation of ingredients? For the majority of us, the loss of our eyesight must seem to leave us in a similar place. How can we enjoy the wonders of God’s creation if we cannot see it in all its glory?
In today’s reading we hear of a blind beggar sitting by the roadside. We do not know whether the man was born blind, or whether he lost his eyesight later in life. We also do not know what spurred him on to cry out: Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! But that is what happened.
The blind man’s disability would have rendered him an outcast in Jesus’ time. His inability to work and engage with the rest of society in a ‘normal’ and ‘acceptable’ way was probably that which reduced him to having to beg by the roadside. But, as he sat by the roadside, reliant on the generosity of others, he must have heard so much. As an outcast he would have been unseen by the majority. But, he would have heard them speaking of Jesus, the one who could work miracles of healing.
We do not know how long the blind beggar had spent thinking about Jesus and his wonderful gift for healing the incurable. As today’s reading comes some way into the gospel narrative, it could have been for some time. Such a level of analysis is a distraction, however. The point is that the blind beggar had faith that Jesus could heal him, and that that faith was recognised and rewarded as the Son of God passed by on that fateful day.
Too often we are afflicted with a level of spiritual blindness that separates us from our loving God. Too often we try to explain away the wondrous actions of Jesus in nonsensical human terms. Too often we ignore the rumour of the healing and joy that come from God alone. Let us pray that we might find the strength and the wisdom to call out to Jesus, who is ever by our side, and ask him to have mercy on us. Let us pray that we might have that tiny seed of faith that will cause him to say: Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.
Prayers
In the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ, let us pray to the Father.
Let us praise Christ our King, by whose cross we have citizenship in heaven, saying: all your saints praise you.
Lord, you built your Church on the foundation of the apostles:
all your saints praise you.
You witness to your truth in the lives of your saints:
all your saints praise you.
You made us to be a kingdom and priests serving our God:
all your saints praise you.
You have shared our burdens,
revealing the holiness of our life and work:
all your saints praise you.
You stir us to seek the mysteries of the kingdom:
all your saints praise you.
You lead us to the eternal assembly of the saints:
all your saints praise you.
God of holiness,
your glory is proclaimed in every age:
as we rejoice in the faith of your saints,
inspire us to follow their example
with boldness and joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Uniting our prayers with the whole company of heaven,
let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Christ our King make us faithful and strong to do his will,
that we may reign with him in glory;
and may the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us and remain with us always.
Amen.
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