Daily Gospel Reflection
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February 19, 2020
When Jesus and his disciples arrived at Bethsaida, people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Can you see anything?”
And the man looked up and said, “I can see people, but they look like trees, walking.”
Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Then he sent him away to his home, saying, “Do not even go into the village.”
When I first read over this passage, I wasn’t sure what I saw there. Wasn’t this just another miraculous healing?
But just before this story, Jesus asked the disciples why they could not “hear” or “see” the truth of his nature and mission. In feeding the four thousand, he had provided vital food beyond what thousands needed; could they not see the Lord of creation? Just after this man’s sight is restored, Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah, but he resists the truth that this Messiah’s salvation will be worked through suffering and the cross. Though Jesus walked before their eyes day and night, even the disciples couldn’t really see him.
Remarkably, this miracle proceeds through a second touch. This can’t have been due to Jesus lacking the power. He had raised the dead, healed the sick, walked on water, and provided in abundance. The limitations here are from us, from the spiritual blindness shadowing all of us.
When I turn toward Christ, do I turn toward him only in search of a healer who can work wonders, or do I look to the Lord of creation? I confess I usually pray out of need rather than adoration. I ask for discernment to meet students where they are, health for my family, strength to meet the next deadline.
When I see other people day by day, flashing by as I rush past, do I even try to see full human beings, living images of God, radiant with dignity? Most of time I just see people without clarity or depth, as if looking at “trees, walking.” This is blindness, too. I don’t think I have the faith for a quick cure. But God will touch our lives, again and again, to open our eyes.
Prayer
Christ Jesus, you touched the eyes of the blind man twice before he was fully cured. Grant us confidence in your persistence in the face of enduring troubles or sin in our lives. Help us to know that you never leave us, that you will continue to heal us, that your love is greater than our weakness. Grant us faith that we will one day see your love for us clearly and distinctly. Amen.
Saint of the Day
The story of St. Conrad's conversion is connected to an accidental arson.
He was born around 1290 to a family of nobles in Italy. He married the daughter of another nobleman and loved her greatly—they lived a pious life together.
One day, while out hunting, Conrad ordered servants to set fire to brushwood to flush out some game. A strong wind spread the fire to nearby fields and forests, and the flames went on to destroy villages.
Unable to stop the fire, Conrad returned home in secret with his servants, and they said nothing about their role in the disaster. Authorities seeking the arsonist arrested an innocent peasant and tortured him to confession before condemning him to death.
When he heard this, Conrad was filled with remorse and stepped forward to take responsibility for the fire. He was ordered to pay restitution for the damages, and sold nearly all of his property and his wife’s dowry to do so.
The experience caused the couple to consider where God might be acting in their lives. They concluded that God was calling them to a simple life of service, and they gave the rest of their possessions to the poor and each joined a religious order.
Conrad took on the life of a hermit and lived a life of prayer and solitude. He became known for his holiness, and people sought him out for advice and spiritual direction. He moved several times to find greater solitude, but people seemed to always find him.
During a severe famine, people asked for his prayers. When relief came, his fame spread and he was constantly visited by people seeking help. A number of miracles were attributed to him, and they continued at his tomb after he died. People suffering from hernias often ask for his intercession.
St. Conrad of Piacenza, the husband who found God when he took responsibility for arson, pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Conrad of Piacenza is in the public domain. Last accessed December 5, 2024 on Wikimedia Commons.
