Daily Reflections
Matthew 9:27-31 • St Ambrose (Memorial)
Two blind men followed Jesus as he went on his way, calling out, ‘Have mercy on us, Son on David’ (Matt. 9:27). The title they used shows that they had faith in Jesus as the Messiah. However, Jesus did not respond at once, but waited until they came to him in the house where he was. Then he asked them if they believed that he was able to heal them: when they said they did, he healed them.
The story illustrates truths about our relationships with God. Like the two blind me, we have to see our own need for healing and call out to God for help. This is something that is not always easy for us, as we like to think we are not in need of help, and the world encourages us to be independent and stand-up for ourselves. We also have to be persistent: the blind men could have given up when Jesus seemed to ignore them, but instead they followed him into the house.
Jesus asks us the same question that he asked the blind men: ‘Do you believe that I am able to do this?’ (Matt. 9:28). Faith is the vehicle through which we encounter the living Lord, and throughout the Gospels Jesus makes it clear that faith is necessary for people to receive his healing.
Today and every day we can come before the Lord asking him to show us our neediness and increase our faith in his healing power. The more we see our need, the more fervently we shall ask Jesus to have mercy on us. We should not have low expectation of what God can do for us, but believe that with faith all things are possible. There is no problem or suffering in our lives that is too great for God to heal.
In this holy time of Advent we can deepen our faith and confidence in God’s love and goodness. We can pray that he will set us free from our own blindness. We may be blind to many things in our lives: to our own sin, to the suffering of others, to the glory of Jesus, to the work of the Spirit, to the many blessing and graces we have already received from the Lord. As the Lord touches our lives more and more deeply, our eyes will be opened in these and other areas of blindness, and our tongues will be set free to sing the praise of our great God and Saviour.
Lord Jesus, we believe that you are able to heal us. As you once had mercy on the blind and dumb, open our eyes to see you more clearly, and fill our hearts with words of praise.
Isaiah 29:17-24 • Psalm 26(27):1, 4, 13-14
Matthew 9:27-31
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