The Gospel of John, chapter 9:25

Chapter nine of St. John’s gospel tells the story of Jesus curing a blind man of his blindness. The blind man is not the only blind person in the story. The Pharisees were just as blind, but they didn’t know it. What about you? This is what I want to talk about in today’s blog.

We can see “out.” We can see something as small as a speck of dust floating on the air. We can see stars far above us in the skies. We can detect the slightest movement. We can see the beauty or destruction of our environment. Like the Pharisees in the Gospel, “we see,” but we can still be blind?

We can also see “in.” So often many of us walk in the dark. We can be as blind as bats when it comes to the needs of others, or even to the needs of our own hearts. Jesus offers an inward sight: the kind of sight that detects blindness within. It is the sight of Faith.

Jesus comes to bring us light for He is the light. He is the light of the world! He comes to give sight to our long-shuttered souls with the brilliance of God’s own light. He comes to brighten our lives with a new vision of a shining future without and within.

We are invited by God to experience a response of faith. No one, not even Jesus, can order someone to have faith. Faith is a gift and is a free response to Jesus’ invitation to come into the light of God’s kingdom. We are required only to be open and ready to receive what He offers us. Jesus has enlightened us, and has given us the “eyes” of faith. Faith-filled eyes “see.” Faith-filled eyes recognize that there is more to life than meets the eye: winners do not always win; losers do not always lose; beggars can be rich; sinners can be justified; the sightless can see; death can be the gate to life.

Does the way you act in your daily life reveal your faith or deny it? Does the way you conduct yourself during your daily life enable others to “see” the light? This gift of faith gives us the opportunity to look inward to “see” if we are the light or darkness for others.

Take time to look deep inside yourself to see where you most need light. Allow yourself the time to look again at the world around you, to see God’s grace in the ordinary things of life, and in the ordinary people your encounter.

As you progress through life, remember that Jesus has walked before you and shown you the way. He also walks with you to open your eyes so that you will not be blind, but “see.”

Fr. Hugh Duffy

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