Gospel for Friday 12/05 the First Week of Lent.
Matthew 9:27-31
And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed [him], crying out, “Son of David,* have pity on us!” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they said to him. 29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” 30 And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” 31 But they went out and spread word of him through all that land.
REFLECTION
The blind men call out, “Son of David, have pity on us!” My heart cries this out when my burdens feel heavy, how much more cathartic it must have been to cry out to Jesus in person!
I think people don’t realize what a great act of faith it is to actually pray. “Prayer” encompasses a lot, but in its simplest form it means, “to ask”. When we ask if someone can do something, we really mean “will” they do it.
Jesus gets the blind men’s explicit proclamation of faith when he queries them whether they believe he can heal them. But we make an implicit proclamation of faith every time we pray to God.
One of my favorite stories (there are variations of it out there) was of a town that was suffering from drought. As the dry weeks went on and the crops failed the townspeople decided they needed to gather together at the local church and pray for rain. As they prayed they heard it begin to rain and they all rejoiced in wonder and surprise; all but a child with an umbrella, who was not surprised at all.
So the next time you pray have an awareness of this beautiful act of faith. Think of this Gospel when we hear the Sunday Gospel of the Annunciation. See the refrain of the belief and acceptance of what God can do. – Come Lord Jesus, Come!
Joyce Osowksi