WEDNESDAY, SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Gn 8: 6-13, 20-22 Ps 116: 12-15, 18-19 Mk 8: 22-26
SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS
Try attempting to navigate your surroundings with your eyes closed. You would find yourself disoriented and lost. In today’s Gospel, we encounter a blind man brought before Jesus who employs a dramatic method to restore his sight, illustrating not just a physical transformation but also a deeper, gradual healing process. This act serves as a powerful metaphor for spiritual awakening and enlightenment. The blind man’s journey to sight symbolizes the gradual unfolding of understanding and faith. Just as his vision is restored step by step, so too can our own spiritual insights deepen over time. We may not suffer from physical blindness, but our sinfulness corrupts our spiritual vision; it obscures our ability to perceive truth, goodness, and the presence of the divine in our lives.
In the first reading, we witness Noah and his family enduring forty days and nights in the Ark, protected from the devastating floods that symbolize God’s wrath against the spiritual blindness of humanity. During this time, Noah demonstrates patience and faith. He sends out a raven and then a dove, each serving as a sign of hope and renewal. As Noah observes the waters gradually subside, he recognizes the moment has come for him and his family to emerge from the Ark. In an act of profound gratitude, he offers a sacrifice to the Lord, acknowledging God’s mercy and faithfulness. In response, God establishes a covenant with Noah, promising never again to destroy humanity in such a manner. This exchange highlights God’s unwavering love and concern for humanity paired with our call to express gratefulness and faithfulness. Just as Noah’s journey out of the Ark symbolizes a transition from despair to hope, we too must emerge from our own spiritual blindness. We too must undergo this process of gradual healing from darkness to light, from blindness to sight, by approaching our Lord and ‘begging him to touch’ us with the power of His love.
Response: A thanksgiving sacrifice I make to you, O Lord.
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