“Far better it is for you to say: "I am a sinner," than to say: "I have no need of religion." The empty can be filled, but the self-intoxicated have no room for God.”

“Two classes of people make up the world: those who have found God, and those who are looking for Him - thirsting, hungering, seeking! And the great sinners came closer to Him than the proud intellectuals! Pride swells and inflates the ego; gross sinners are depressed, deflated and empty. They, therefore, have room for God. God prefers a loving sinner to a loveless 'saint'. Love can be trained; pride cannot. The man who thinks that he knows will rarely find truth; the man who knows he is a miserable, unhappy sinner, like the woman at the well, is closer to peace, joy and salvation than he knows.” ― Fulton J. Sheen, Life of Christ

Gospel Text: (LK 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.

First the blind man saw his need. Do we see our need? As the bystanders told him “Jesus is passing by” he boldly spoke out to Jesus. This is a good example of how great opportunities pass in front of us in our daily lives. Do we reach out to our Savior? The blind man was ridiculed and rebuked but persisted. Are we affected by those knowingly or not inhibiting our spiritual progress?

None of us have ever seen Jesus with our own physical sight and thus we in fact are blind to until we come to him. Despite our ‘blindness’ Jesus is still able to hear our voice among the cacophony of the world—indeed he is listening for our voice and will respond to us. Our faith is the foundation (as it was for the blind man) for us to receive mercy and healing from God. However, faith is not just believing -- the belief must motivate an action.

The lesson of the blind man for us is that during confusion, despair, insecurity and illness our faith shall compel us to the action of crying out to the Lord—and in faith we shall be healed.

“I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whomever follows me will have the light of life.”