+ Probably the single-most important thing that Jesus did,
other
than to forgive our sins and open the gates of heaven, is the fact that he made the
blind see; and we are talking
about more than the physically blind. Beyond the ability to see, physically,
having little or no correct perspective and insight into things that really
matter is an intellectual and spiritual handicap that can be devastating, both
to the person with the vision-problem and those who have to deal with him every
day.
In the gospel passage today,
Jesus does a huge thing, he heals a blind
man (this one, physically, but symbolically all the other ways) because the man asked him to do it – after
realizing that he had the condition and that Jesus was the only one who could
successfully do anything about it.
And he was right – this
comprehensive kind of perceptive deprivation can only be rectified by one who
has all power over things natural and spiritual.
We rejoice today, with the now
seeing-man, and pray that we like him can have Jesus alter in our vision what
needs altering so that we can follow him uninhibitedly
and energetically down the road.
The first reading today talks
about the prophecy of one who would be the great rescuer and healer – bringing back the remnant of Israel from
their slavery – those who had been blind about religious matters, but could
now see the error of their judgments and ways.
The second reading today seems
to divert from this theme of sight lost and restored, but then again, maybe not
really. It has to do with the priesthood, comprised in our case of men who have
the duty and power to offer Christ’s own Sacrifice of Himself to his Father,
for our salvation – being configured to him, by the Holy Spirit on the day or
their ordination. They can be very effective priests if they remember that they
too are called to live the sacrifices of Christ, carry his cross in a special
way, and to therefore deal with all manner of men with patience, because they
too are weak, they too suffer from blindness in many ways themselves.
No one takes the honor of priesthood upon
himself – but only when called by God, as Aaron was. A
self-styled priest is no priest at all.
And of
course as a sad aside note – we can see clearly in our day and age what self-styled
self-seeking, self-gratifying priests look like – and we can definitely see how
they can cross the line and enter into criminal activity in the area of sexual
morality. But we must also remember that these are only a relatively small
number of priests: so many act as the Good Shepherds that God called them to
be.
And so, we thank God today for
the authentic priesthood (a priesthood that cannot be redefined for any reason)
and for the work of rescuing and healing that priests do – they are like the Good Shepherd who goes after the lost
and the weak, the outcast and the lonely, the sick and the crippled; and he
carries them lovingly back into the light, into the fold! And when the lost,
and the spiritually sick are the priests – then other priests: their brothers
in Christ, must go after them and rescue them spiritually, though some may have
to be accountable in the civil court system.
Our
Savior Jesus Christ destroyed death and brought life to light through the
gospel.
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