Friday's Homily

Readings Is 25:6-10a; Ps 22; Mt 15:29-37

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Old Isaiah was quite a prophet, and we hear a lot from him during Advent. God called him at a critical time in Israel's history, a time when the nation was threatened by both internal divisions and external enemies. Having strayed far from God's word and His grace, the northern kingdom of Israel had already fallen to the Assyrians, and Jerusalem's walls were surrounded by another enemy.

It’s during this difficult time that Isaiah received a vision of God's overwhelming holiness and glory. But the vision didn’t stop there. It also included a revelation of the people’s sinfulness and their need for forgiveness, their need to be transformed in the Creator's image.

But even now Isaiah wasn’t quite ready to be sent out to prophesy in the Lord’s name…no, not yet. First God had to prepare him, and so an angel, a seraph, first purified Isaiah’s lips with a live coal, and the Lord took possession of his human spirit. Then, filled with the Holy Spirit, he clearly saw God's power to change people's hearts and minds, to convert them, to lead them to a life of holiness through His direction and grace.

This, of course, is exactly the challenge that God places before us during Advent.  We too are called to conversion, to holiness, to a change of heart. And we are to respond to this call without fear…exactly the message we heard from psalm 27 which we sung only moments ago: “The Lord is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid.”

Fear, you see, is a human, not a divine, trait. And so when we are blessed with and accept the divine gift of faith, all fear evaporates. With Emmanuel, when God is with us, why should we fear anything or anybody?

Of course, Isaiah wasn’t just addressing his own time and his contemporaries in history. Like all the prophets, indeed like the entire Old Testament, Isaiah was pointing to its fulfillment. He was pointing to Jesus Christ: “On that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book; and out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see. The lowly will ever find joy in the LORD, and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.”  

In our Gospel passage we catch a glimpse of this as Jesus shows us the power contained in the simple faith of the believer. Yes, the faith expressed by the two blind men is powerful indeed. They had waited for Jesus, just as we wait for Him today.

When He passed by, they followed Him, not hanging back in fear, but pressing forward in faith. They were blind and yet they recognized Jesus when He entered their lives. You and I can see, but do we recognize him? Do we see Him in those who pass by?

And then they called out to Him, they prayed their prayer of supplication: “Son of David, have pity on us.” Still Jesus doesn’t respond, but the blind men aren’t discouraged. Their faith prohibits it. It’s too strong. It recognizes in Jesus the healing, redemptive power that will be soon be manifested to the world. In their blindness, they follow him into the house where he is staying. In a sense, they’ve cornered Him, haven’t they? They approach Jesus and he finally responds: "Do you believe that I can do this?"  They haven’t asked for sight; they’ve asked only for pity, for mercy. But they know exactly what Jesus is asking them. “Do you believe I can control the very power of nature itself? Do you believe I rule over all that God has created?”

“Yes, Lord,” they replied. I suspect this response was shouted out, an answer filled with confidence, exhilarated by the reality to come.

Jesus, almost sacramentally, touched their eyes and told them their faith is the cause of their healing. And then he instructed them to remain quiet and keep this miraculous event to themselves. But they couldn't help themselves, could they? Able to see by the power of Jesus and their own living faith, they proclaimed their good news throughout the whole area. They had become preaches of the Word, the Good News, missionaries of Jesus Christ. They couldn't hide the Light of the World under a bushel basket, for it would force its way out. And while Jesus in His humanity wanted the event kept quiet, I’m sure in His divinity He was pleased with their enthusiastic evangelization.

Brothers and sisters, Advent stands as a witness against those who would argue that God is powerless. They will tell us that whatever happens...well, it just happens. It's either the will of God, or God is just not all that interested in us, or there simply is no God. But, of course, the Incarnation shows us God’s ultimate involvement in the world. A disinterested God doesn’t send us His Son to live and die for us. 

And Jesus makes it clear that blindness and other disabilities are not God’s will or punishment for sin. No, they are the context in which the works of God may be manifested! If only the world will see.

Yes, as we witness the faith of the two men in the Gospel, perhaps we should look to ourselves as the ones who are truly blind. Merciful Father, touch our hearts, shatter our unbelief so we will joyfully accept Your gift of faith and grow closer to You by living in Your truth and love.