As Jesus approached Jericho
a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging,
and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening.
The man may have been blind but he was spiritually perceptive. He demonstrated that "faith comes from hearing" (see Romans 10:17) and serves as "the evidence of things not seen" (see Hebrews 11:1). The crowd following Jesus who rebuked the man could see Jesus but did not understand the mission of Jesus who came to give "recovering of sight to the blind" (see Luke 4:18). The man was blind but he proved that he saw better than most by recognizing that Jesus was the Son of David, the messianic king promised to Israel. Moreover, he recognized that the authority of this king was such that he could even heal his blindness by his power. The blind man's faith was such that he was undeterred even when others tried to rebuke and to silence him. He persisted, continuing to ask until he received.
“What do you want me to do for you?”
He replied, “Lord, please let me see.”
Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.”
He immediately received his sight
and followed him, giving glory to God.
This man did not wish to use his newfound sight merely to off and gratify his curiosity about the shapes of the elements of the world. Rather he desired to put his sight to good use by following Jesus himself. Sight was designed to help humanity seek the good, though most used it more selfishly. But the formerly blind man would ensure that he would not fall into spiritual blindness by using his sight to focus on the highest good, fixing his gaze on Jesus.
let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith (see Hebrews 12:1-2).
As we see in the reading from Revelation it is possible to begin well with fervent love illuminated by the lampstand of faith. But we must not only begin well but persist in our response of love to Jesus. We must continue to act in a manner worthy of the grace of his illumination. We can't take for granted that this light will always be with us if we take it cheaply and account it as of little value by the way we act. Let us remember a time when Jesus gave us new light to illuminate our lives. Let us try to stir the desire within us to respond to him in love today, just as we did in those initial peak experiences. Let us show him by our actions that we value the light of faith he has given us to save us from spiritual blindness.
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