Opening Our Eyes – Your Weekly Catholic Reflection
“One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see.”
– John 9:1 – 41
In today’s Gospel, the blind man is healed through the power of faith. Jesus points out the irony of the experience of many who encounter Him:
Those who are blind will now see, and those who think they see, will be found to be blind.
In Jesus’ time, it was widely believed that misfortune, and mental and physical disabilities were the result of sin. Today, such beliefs sound outdated. But in many of the remote, poor communities where we work, attitudes like this are still very common. In Peru, Anna Maria’s son Juan Elias was born with Down Syndrome. She will never forget the day he was born:
“The doctor said to me, “Open your eyes, Mom. You have a special boy here.” I started crying and asked God to help me find the strength to love this child. At the start, I was ashamed. I rejected my baby. I didn’t want to hold him or take care of him. I was sad and depressed. Juan Elias was very sick and almost died many times. I started to realize that every time I got him back, it was a gift.”
With faith, Anna Maria learned to love her son more each day. She explained that she has lost many of her fears, founded in the stigma and discrimination her community continues to believe in. Through her son, Anna Maria’s family has grown in love and grace toward each other. By opening her eyes, this mother’s shame has become her joy.
Every day, we are bombarded with so many opinions, ideas, and images that it’s easy for us to miss what is right in front of our eyes. This Sunday’s Gospel reminds us that Jesus helps us see what is truly important in life. Those who truly “see” recognize God’s love every day.