Daily Gospel Reflection
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December 6, 2024
As Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying out,
“Son of David, have pity on us!”
When he entered the house,
the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them,
“Do you believe that I can do this?”
“Yes, Lord,” they said to him.
Then he touched their eyes and said,
“Let it be done for you according to your faith.”
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.
This time of year typically brings travel. Since I grew up in Portland, Oregon and now live outside of Washington, DC, I’m committed to at least one cross-country trip per year to visit family. I love this. I find travel to be humbling and eye-opening. It reminds me of my small place in this world and gives me a new perspective on how to approach life and what’s truly important. Unfortunately, when I get back home, it doesn’t take long to lose this new-found perspective as I get back into the routine of work, kids’ schedules, and community obligations. While I may have had an eye-opening experience, soon enough, the situational blindness returns.
Today’s gospel shows us how two men humbled themselves and placed their faith in Jesus that he could heal them of their blindness. They reached out to Jesus, asking for pity, recognizing their humbled state. And when asked if they believe he could heal their blindness, they say yes and their faith is so strong that they are healed. They show humility and faith.
At this time of year, it is easy to be reminded of these virtues. We await the arrival of an infant—certainly a humble form of the human person—and place faith in this baby as our Savior. The season reminds us of our place in this universe as humble children of God who put our faith in Jesus for our salvation. But when the season is over, we get back into our day-to-day lives, and it is easy for our blindness to return.
May we take a new approach this Advent, becoming more conscious of the humility and faith that are part of it and finding ways to weave them back into our day-to-day consciousness.
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.