JESUS HEALS THE BLIND MAN (MARK 8:22-26)

REFLECTION

“Jesus heals the blind man” is the theme for our reflection. A blind man is brought to Jesus for the recovery of sight. Jesus healed him and made him see clearly. Seeing clearly suggests that there are different levels of sight. Indeed, one may be able to see but his or her sight may be hazy, thus Mark 8:23-24 tells us that “Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking”. After Jesus’ initial touch, the blind man’s situation moved from total blindness to partial sight. Unlike some healers of our time and age who may declare the man healed based on a partial sight, charge him a huge amount for the service rendered and ask him to keep coming for consultation and a possible full-sight recovery, Jesus was not done with the blind man when he reported that he could see partially. Jesus is not a partial problem solver or healer. He makes it complete, beautiful and free of charge

We may go a bit deeper to give a further interpretation of Mark 8:23-24. Dear friend in the Lord, before we all met Jesus, we were all blind. It appears most people have been touched by Jesus and once they could partially see they walk away still struggling to walk straight. These are Christians, who cannot see clearly hence they keep walking on the wrong path over and over again. Beloved in the Lord, a partial sight is only a marginal improvement of a blind condition except that one who has a partial sight can navigate a bit better than one who is totally blind. In other words, a totally blind person is one who does not know Jesus at all but a person who is partially sighted is one who goes to church yet is not a true disciple of Christ. Because of the partially sighted church attender, Jesus said in Matthew 22:14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.” Again, Jesus makes reference to those who are partially sighted (mere churchgoers) when he says “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

Beloved in Christ, like the blind man who was brought to Jesus, may we also receive full sight recovery from Jesus. Mark 8:25 makes it abundantly clear that “Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again, and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.” No one truly meets Jesus and walks away with a partial sight; Jesus gives full sight recovery to those waiting for Him. He makes you see clearly. We can see the light of salvation, know the truth and be set free. Although in today’s Scripture reading Jesus healed a blind man and made him see clearly, it is also true that a devoted Christian and a committed disciple of Jesus who may be physically blind can clearly see spiritually than a mere churchgoer who has his or her physical sight intact. No wonder, Jesus said to His disciples when their faith was questionable, “Do you have eyes but fail to see…?” (Mark 8:18) Physical blindness could be caused by diseases beyond our control but spiritual blindness is a choice and a lack of faith.

Beloved in the Lord, coming to Jesus for full sight recovery is also a choice. After reading this reflection or meditating on Scripture text, I invite you for a spiritual eye test with Doctor Jesus. Jesus can heal our physical and spiritual blindness and make us see clearly only if we are willing for Him to touch us through His Word and presence in our lives. It is the will of God or Jesus’ desire for us to see clearly and walk in His light, therefore, let us not go back into the darkness after receiving our full recovery of sight for we have been redeemed to walk in the light and represent the truth that set people free from spiritual blindness. It is for this reason “Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32). Shalom.

PRAYER

LORD JESUS, HEAL OUR BLIND EYES TO REMAIN CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT. AMEN.