Daily Gospel Reflection
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December 6, 2019
As Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying loudly, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”
When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.”
Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you.” And their eyes were opened.
Then Jesus sternly ordered them, “See that no one knows of this.” But they went away and spread the news about him throughout that district.
What is our blindness?
Today’s Gospel reading by St. Matthew appears at first glance to be identical to the healing of the two blind men later on in his Gospel (Mt 20:29-34). However if we look more closely, we will notice a subtle, but important difference. The chapter 20 blind men truly appear to be physically blind. As the crowd follows Jesus, they are forced to sit on the side of the road and call for the Lord to help them. When Jesus, moved with pity, touched their eyes, their sight returned.
The two blind men of today’s reading appear to have a different sort of blindness. Notice that they follow Jesus and even enter the house where he was staying. When Jesus heals them, note that the word “sight” is not used but “their eyes were opened.” Their spiritual blindness was lifted and even Jesus couldn’t stop them from spreading the good news.
Hopefully, we as Christians don’t suffer from spiritual blindness, but what about other deficiencies of sight and insight? Do we even recognize our blindness?
Jesus would often answer people’s questions with questions of his own. Notice what questions he asks the two sets of blind men in Mathew’s Gospel: “What do you want me to do for you?” and “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”
How would we answer these questions? Our faith requires that we ask and answer these questions daily if we are to allow Jesus to touch us and open our eyes.
Prayer
Lord, there are many kinds of blindness. I know that I am blind at times about what I should do or how I should live. In my blindness I pass by someone who needs a kind word or a helping hand. Improve my vision so that I can see what you want me to do and whom you want me to help. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Nicholas is one of the most-loved and venerated saints in our tradition and is reportedly one of the most commonly painted saints. He was bishop of Myra, a city in what is now Turkey during the Church's turbulent fourth century. Legends of his life have filled in the large gaps in historical knowledge about his life.
One of the most famous stories celebrates Nicholas' generous gift-giving. Nicholas' parents died when he was young and left him with a large inheritance. Nicholas resolved to use the money for charitable works and learned of a man who had fallen into poverty. This man had three daughters, but because he could not support them nor provide a dowry for their marriage, he was going to sell them into slavery.
Nicholas learned of this family’s situation and, under the cover of darkness, tossed a bag of gold through the family’s window. The oldest daughter was soon married. The saint returned and performed the same act of kindness for the second daughter. When he approached to help the youngest daughter, the man was waiting for him and when he recognized Nicholas, he was overwhelmed with gratitude, prostrating himself before the bishop in thanks.
After being chosen as bishop of Myra, Nicholas was imprisoned and tortured during the persecutions of Christians in the early fourth century. When the Christian emperor Constantine released Christians from prison, Nicholas returned to Myra, where he confronted pagans and those who distorted the faith among the people in his region.
According to tradition, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicea in 325, which established Christ as truly one in being with the Father, not a subordinate deity. Legend has it that Nicholas became so infuriated with Arius, who opposed the idea that Christ was fully equal to the Father—"there was a time when the Son was not," as his rallying cry went—that Nicholas slapped him across the face.
Because, for a long while, Nicholas was the only major saint located with his particular region of Turkey, there was fierce competition for his relics among the towns near Myra, and his remains were transported from town to town. The reliquary chapel in the Basilica, which, indeed, holds some relics of St. Nicholas, contains a stained glass image of his relics being transferred to Italy, where they putatively rest today. A recent discovery, however, shows that his body has returned to Turkey. Today's featured image shows St. Nicholas as bishop and comes from the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art on campus.
St. Nicholas is the patron saint of Russia and Greece and is also the patron saint of children and newlyweds. Catholics in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands developed the custom of giving presents in his name on today, his feast day. Catholics still put out their shoes for sacks of gold coins, candies, or small gifts. Eventually, this practice of giving gifts on St. Nicholas Day grew into our contemporary American custom of giving gifts on Christmas Day.
St. Nicholas, whose generosity has inspired Christians for ages—pray for us!
To learn even more about Saint Nicholas, watch this video lecture from the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame.
Image Credit: Italian, Portrait of a Figure Wearing a Mitre; Saint Nicholas, 18th century, pencil on laid paper. Raclin Murphy Museum of Art, Gift of Luigi Gregori, AA1972.031.169.