The Healing of the two blind men and our faith in God
The two blind men in the gospel of St. Matthew considered Jesus as the son of king David and much more by seeing the miracles He was doing. Jesus was a man for them with extraordinary power. His fame had spread throughout the region.
Jesus asked the blind men if they themselves believed that He could heal them. “Yes, Lord, they wholeheartedly responded.” And they were instantly healed. Jesus told them not to tell anyone of their healing, But, out of gratitude to Him, they proclaimed the miracle to all.
Believing faithful Christians take their sick person from various diseases to the Island of Tenos in Greece to the Church of the Dormision of Theotokos during the first two weeks of August. They pray to God and ask the intercession of Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, to intercede to her Son to heal their son or daughter. One year a mother had brought her young blind son to the Church of the Theotokos in Tenos The church was full of pilgrims who had come from all parts of Greece to pray to and express their gratitude for all her blessings to them. Suddenly a blind boy began to call out in a loud voice, “Natin, natin!, “There she is, there she is!” The former blind boy, had now received his sight and was seeing the Theotokos. Full of joy, he was expressing his gratitude to the Theotokos, the Mother of God, who had interceded for his healing and now he could see.
What do we learn from the healing of the two blind men, and of the healed young boy? First to have abundant faith in God and secondly, out of gratitude, to share God’s blessing upon us with the people around us.
In addition to our five senses, we have the important sense of the heart, our spiritual sense, our faith. This spiritual sense helps us first to pray and express to God both our gratitude and thanksgiving for all His blessings to us; and secondly, to present to Him our needs. God responds to our needs if they will help us for our salvation. But sometimes He says no to our petitions, because they will cause us spiritual harm.
To return to our gospel passage, not all the people rejoiced at Jesus’ healing of the two blind men. The Pharisees, out of jealousy, tried to undermine Jesus’ miracles. They were telling people that Jesus does these miracles with the power of the devil. This is a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. It is a grievous sin both for this life and also for the eternal. If one does not recognize and accept the saving power of God, how can he be saved?
Let us avoid the blasphemy of the Pharisees and instead embrace the faith of the healed blind men and boy and glorify God for all His blessings to us.
With love, Fr. John P. Angelis
