JESUS, LIGHT OF OUR EYES
Introduction
This week the first reading will be taken from the two canonical books of the Maccabees. These tell the story of the epic fight of the Jews against the Syrian empire. The Syrian king wanted to unify the kingdom under Hellenistic culture. Many Jews felt that their adherence to the Mosaic law isolated them and went along, but a faithful core, later most of the Jewish people, fought to defend their faith and their culture, some even sacrificing their lives for this purpose.
After Jesus had scolded the apostles for their lack of understanding and faith, Luke shows him curing the blind man. Is it perhaps to teach the apostles a lesson and showing them that they need to be healed from their inner blindness by faith? In any case, Jesus becomes light and gives light to the blind man. We ask our Lord to give us eyes of faith.
Opening Prayer
God almighty Father,
each of us too could say:
Let me see again, for I am blind to the love
that you show me in the people around me.
Let me see again,
for I am blind to your goodness and beauty,
that you reveal to me in your creation
and in the events of life.
May we too, hear from the lips of your Son:
your faith has saved you.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen!
1 Reading: 1 Maccabees 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63
From the descendants of Alexander’s officers there sprang a sinful offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus, once a hostage at Rome. He became king in the year one hundred and thirty seven of the kingdom of the Greeks. In those days there appeared in Israel men who were breakers of the law, and they seduced many people, saying: “Let us go and make an alliance with the Gentiles all around us; since we separated from them, many evils have come upon us.” The proposal was agreeable; some from among the people promptly went to the king, and he authorized them to introduce the way of living of the Gentiles. Thereupon they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem according to the Gentile custom. They covered over the mark of their circumcision and abandoned the holy covenant; they allied themselves with the Gentiles and sold themselves to wrongdoing. Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people, each abandoning his particular customs. All the Gentiles conformed to the command of the king, and many children of Israel were in favour of his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the Sabbath. On the fifteenth day of the month Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-five, the king erected the horrible abomination upon the altar of burnt offerings and in the surrounding cities of Judah they built pagan altars. They also burned incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets. Any scrolls of the law which they found they tore up and burnt. Whoever was found with a scroll of the covenant, and whoever observed the law, was condemned to death by royal decree. But many in Israel were determined and resolved in their hearts not to eat anything unclean; they preferred to die rather than to be defiled with unclean food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. Terrible affliction was upon Israel.
Responsorial Psalm 119:53, 61, 134, 150, 155, 158
R. (cf. 88) Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands.
Indignation seizes me because of the wicked
who forsake your law. R.
Though the snares of the wicked are twined about me,
your law I have not forgotten. R.
Redeem me from the oppression of men,
that I may keep your precepts. R.
I am attacked by malicious persecutors
who are far from your law. R.
Far from sinners is salvation,
because they seek not your statutes. R.
I beheld the apostates with loathing,
because they kept not to your promise. R.
Alleluia: John 8:12
Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Luke 18:35-43
As Jesus approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging, and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me!” Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, “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. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.
Commentary
Lord, let me see again!
The healing story of the blind is situated in Jericho. Remember, Jesus is on his final days of the journey towards Jerusalem, where he will make his sacrifice. Jericho is situated on the main pilgrim route from Galilee to Jerusalem. Most pilgrims chose this route in order to bypass Samaria. Luke wants to indicate that by the conclusion of his public ministry, Jesus is guiding his disciples to gain full insight into his message.
The blind man is representative of all those who wish to start their journey with the Lord. He symbolises the potential disciple, who at the beginning of his journey is blind, and gradually comes to the knowledge of the Lord and finally he is able to grasp fully the message of Jesus – he is able to see.
The blind man addresses Jesus with the title Son of David. In those days, the title carried an acknowledgement of one’s allegiance to the political power centre. The Son of David, they believed, would chase the Roman and other external powers away. The initial understanding of a disciple who begins his journey is only so much. That is his blindness – he does not understand the true identity of the Messiah, because those initial information are all hearsays. He got the information from the crowd.
Luke was writing his Gospel fifty years after Jesus’ death and resurrection. From his angle fifty years after the death of Jesus, it was clear what kind of king Jesus was. The opportunity of the blind to approach Jesus is also the opportunity given to everyone who wishes to follow Jesus. But one has to be clear on what he or she wants from the Lord. The request of the Blind is to see again. He is guided from the darkness to the light of knowledge of Christ. Once he gains that sight of Christ, he joyously follows Christ, to Jerusalem.
The Lord’s passing by is an encounter of mercy that enables us, who are in need of help and of consolation. Jesus passes by in our Life. When we realise it, it is an invitation to draw near to him, to be a better Christian, to follow Jesus.
Jesus, the Son of God is before the blind man as a humble servant. Imagine the God saying to a beggar: “Sir, What can I do for you? How do you want me to serve you?” God makes himself a servant of the sinful man.
“All the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God” (v. 43). This is the second miracle: what happened to the blind man also enables the other people to see. The same light illuminates them all, uniting them in a prayer of praise. Lord, make us to see!
Intercessions
– Lord, see the eyes of children that are open to life; see the eyes full of hope of those who believe in your future; fill them with your light, we pray:
– Lord, see the eyes full of hatred or spite of those who are frustrated; see the joy in the eyes of those who know how to love, we pray:
– Lord, see the eyes of those who suffer; see the eyes of those who are shut to others, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God almighty Father,
through this bread and wine,
we ask you to give us
the light of our lives, your Son, Jesus Christ.
Through him, the Son of David,
have pity on us,
that we may praise you
for the saving goodness which you show us
in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God, in this Eucharist
you have let us experience your goodness
through Jesus’ saving presence.
Do not allow us to hide his light
or to darken the lives of our neighbor.
Make us clear-eyed and let us be lights
for those without insight or hope,
by the power of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!
Blessing
When we are at times blind to what God asks of us, we too cry out: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. Let me see again.” And may he answer us, “Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you.” May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!