Thoughts for the Day

Jesus Cures a Blind Man at Bethsaida

They came to Bethsaida. Some 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.’

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Jesus has pointedly asked his disciples, "Do you have eyes, and fail to see?" and now Mark graphically illustrates this with the healing of the blind man who literally has eyes but doesn’t see. The miracle is a two stage healing, and Jesus lays his hands on him twice. Initially the man sees people that "look like trees walking" and so Jesus lays his hands on his eyes again, and the man is cured.

The blind man had friends with enough faith to take him to Jesus. But the blind man himself says nothing! Sometimes Jesus does not perform miracles when the person has no belief, and indeed he denounces Bethsaida for its lack of faithfulness (Matthew 11.20-21). So Jesus takes the man out of the village by the hand (in itself amazing for the blind man would have been considered an unclean sinner) and guides him around obstacles until they leave Bethsaida behind. The gradual restoration of the man's sight seems to show his journey to faith. As he holds Jesus' hand on the walk he begins to hope, and with the first healing touch he sees partially. His trust grows and after the second touch he is no longer blind.

For the disciples this is an object lesson showing their own slowness in attaining spiritual insight. They too had their eyes opened very gradually like the blind man. For us today, Jesus calls us to trust in His power, His goodness, and His love, whether we are healed miraculously or are given the grace to endure the pain.

Lord Jesus Christ,
may we be grateful for those
who guided us to You initially.
May we continue to grow in faith
and learn to trust You more and more.
When we ask for Your healing touch
may we accept what You offer
as being sufficient for our needs,
whatever the result.
Amen.