Tiên Tri Isaiah đã cho mọi người một niềm hy vọng vì ông ta đã chỉ cho mọi người biết đến thời gian mà Thiên Chúa sẽ đến con người rất gần kề, do vậy, chúng ta không thể không cảm nhận được sự hiện diện của Chúa. “Người điếc sẽ được nghe, và người mù sẽ được thấy, và những sự bất công sẽ không còn nửa và những kẻ không tin sẽ tin vào nơi Thiên Chúa”. Những lời nhắn nhủ này cho biết là những điều tiêu cực không bao giờ đến từ nơi Thiên Chúa. Những sự đau khổ trong cuộc đời này chỉ là tạm bợ, không phải là mãi mãi, và Thiên Chúa không phải là Thiên Chúa của sự đau khổ. Khi chúng ta quay đầu trở lại với Thiên Chúa, Ngài sẽ mở lòng trí chúng ta, chữa lành và sẽ biến đổi lòng và trí chúng ta.
Lạy Chúa, xin cho mở mắt chúng con trong tâm hồn để cho chúng con biết nhìn Chúa và con đường Chúa muốn con đi một cách rõ ràng và thông suốt hơn.
Isaiah gave people hope by pointing to a time in which God would come so close that we could not fail to sense God’s presence. The deaf would hear, and the blind would see, and injustice would vanish along with unbelief. The message is that these negative things do not come from God. Suffering is temporary, not forever, and God is not about suffering. When we turn to God and open our hearts, healing and transformation begin.
` The two blind men discovered this to their delight. Even though they were physically blind, they had spiritual insight, for they recognized Jesus as ‘son of David’, which is a messianic title. Others who had physical sight were not able to ‘see’ this. The faith of the two blind men gave them this deeper vision, and Jesus confirmed that by healing them ‘according to their faith.’ In other words, their healing would be in proportion to how deeply and fervently they trusted and believed in God.
Often we do not know what is coming next on our journey and we are not always able to see the road in front of us. But a deep and abiding faith will be our inner GPS — it will give us insight into the path that we must travel. Lord, grant me spiritual insight.
And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” But they went out and spread word of him through all that land. Matthew 9:30–31
Who is Jesus? This question is much more easily answered today than it was at the time Jesus walked the Earth. Today we are blessed with countless saints who have gone before us who have prayerfully and intelligently taught much about the person of Jesus. We know Him to be God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Savior of the World, the promised Messiah, the Sacrificial Lamb and so much more.
The Gospel above comes from the conclusion of the miracle in which Jesus healed two blind men. These men were overwhelmed with their cure, and their emotion overtook them. Jesus instructed them to “See that no one knows about this” miraculous healing. But their excitement could not be contained. It’s not that they were intentionally disobedient to Jesus; rather, they did not know how else to express their sincere gratitude other than to tell others about what Jesus had done.
One reason Jesus told them not to tell others about Him is because Jesus knew they did not fully understand Who He was. He knew that their testimony about Him would fail to present Him in the way that was most truthful. He was the Lamb of God. The Savior. The Messiah. The Sacrificial Lamb. He was the One Who came into this world to redeem us by the shedding of His blood. Many of the people, however, wanted a nationalistic “messiah” or a miracle worker alone. They wanted one who would save them from political oppression and make them a great earthly nation. But this was not Jesus’ mission.
Oftentimes we can also fall into the trap of misunderstanding Who Jesus is and Who He wants to be in our lives. We can want a “god” who will save us only from our daily struggles, injustices and temporal difficulties. We can want a “god” who acts in accord with our will and not vice versa. We want a “god” who will heal us and free us of every earthly burden. But Jesus taught clearly throughout His life that He would suffer and die. He taught us that we must take up our own crosses and follow Him. And He taught us that we are to die, embrace suffering, offer mercy, turn the other cheek, and find our glory in that which the world will never understand.
Reflect, today, upon whether Jesus would caution you about speaking too loudly about your vision of Who He is. Do you struggle with presenting a “god” who is not actually God? Or have you come to know the very Person of Christ our Lord to such an extent that you are able to give witness to Him Who died. Do you boast only in the Cross? Do you proclaim Christ crucified and preach only the deepest wisdom of humility, mercy and sacrifice? Recommit yourself to a true proclamation of Christ, setting aside any and all confused images of our saving God.
My true and saving Lord, I commit myself to You and pray that I will come to know and love You as You are. Give me the eyes I need to see You and the mind and heart I need to know and love You. Remove from me any false vision of Who You are and replace within me a true knowledge of You, my Lord. As I come to know You, I offer myself to You so that You may use me to proclaim Your greatness to all. Jesus, I trust in You.
Opening Prayer: Lord God, let me see your glory as you pass by. I am always in need of being cured by you of my spiritual blindness. I believe, Lord, help my unbelief! I trust in you, Lord, help me when I despair. I love you, Lord, help me overcome my selfishness.
1. Healing Both Types of Blindness: Isaiah prophesies around the 8th century B.C. that, one day in the future, “the eyes of the blind shall see,” and Jesus, in the first century A.D., fulfills that prophecy. But there is something more at work in the Gospel than the healing of physical blindness. Even the prophet Isaiah looks forward to a time when Israel will be blessed with renewed vision, understanding, and joy. When Jesus heals the eyes of the blind, this is a sign that the age of salvation has come. Before healing the blindness of the two men, Jesus invites them to be cured of their spiritual blindness through faith in him. They pass from the blindness and darkness of sin to the sight and light of faith.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, true God and true man, you are my faithful and merciful high priest! Intercede before the Father for me and my family. Ask for what we most need. Gather us under your wings and protect us from all evil.
Do you believe that in one way or another we are all blind? Yes, we may not be blind physically but in most cases, we are blind spiritually. We cry out to Jesus to be healed of our infirmities, our sins, our false hopes, our illusive dreams, our lost faith, our doubts, our broken relationships, our fears of failure and impending death.
When Christ enters the house, the blind men found hope. If we were to be this bold in our quest for spiritual enlightenment from Christ, we would surely be raised to great levels of holiness. And so now that Christ has left the earth and gone to sit on his throne at the right hand of the Father, let us not hold back but follow him with our humble supplication even to the heights of heaven.
Jesus asks "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" Perhaps our faith may falter. Why would Jesus ask us this? Is not our tortuous search for him evidence of our belief? Has he spotted doubts in us which we were unaware? Even then, let us say: "Lord, we believe, help our little faith."
Let's prepare our heart now especially during this Advent season. Prepare it through humility, holy trust and childlike simplicity without which we cannot enter His kingdom. Or better still, we must speak out our profession of faith in Jesus Christ before all publicly as we attend the Misa de Gallo. "We believe Lord that you will come!" Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus, our King and Savior!
We thank God for our lives, for good health. We have the duty to properly take care of ourselves. And when sick and ill, we hope we continue to have faith in the care and love of our heavenly Father.
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