All That He Needed

When we feel compassionate, we are reaching out to others. Someone’s tears get us crying, or joy gets us laughing. Compassion reaches into the needs of another, and simply wants to be there and to help.

Our gospel is a response to an illness – of a blind man who shouted at Jesus to hear him. No whispered or shy prayer here!  His faith made him shout to Jesus, and to believe that he could be better. He threw away all he had – a cloak – and knew he had found all he needed – the faith that made him strong. This faith gave him energy as he jumped at the sound of Jesus’ name.

His sight returned later; the first gift was faith. Our faith helps us see the world as God sees it. We see creation as the beauty of God and care for it, and men and women as images of God and we care for them. We see beyond labels and categories to everyone as a child of God, and our brother and sister. This is the ‘eye of faith’.

The way of Jesus is the way of light, and of healing, so that nothing inside ourselves can block us from receiving the light of God, the light of his love.

Imagine the dawn gradually bringing light to the darkness.
Does this remind you of what light of God you might pray for?
Lighten our burdens lord, and enlighten our darkness
and may we walk in your ways.

(Gospel Reflection courtesy of Catholic Ireland)