Eyes for the World or Eyes for the Spirit

Prayer-Soldier

Eyes for the World or Eyes for the Spirit

Scripture:

For thus said the Lord: Rejoice in the joy of Jacob, and neigh before the head of the Gentiles: shout, and sing, and say: Save, O Lord, your people, the remnant of Israel. Behold I will bring them from the north country, and will gather them from the ends of the earth: and among them shall be the blind, and the lame, the woman with child, and she that is bringing forth, together, a great company of them returning hither. They shall come with weeping: and I will bring them back in mercy: and I will bring them through the torrents of waters in a right way, and they shall not stumble in it: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
(Jeremiah 31:7-9)

For every high priest taken from among men, is ordained for men in the things that appertain to God, that he may offer up gifts and sacrifices for sins: Who can have compassion on them that are ignorant and that err: because he himself also is compassed with infirmity. And therefore he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. Neither doth any man take the honor to himself, but he that is called by God, as Aaron was. So Christ also did not glorify himself, that he might be made a high priest: but he that said unto him: You are my Son, this day have I begotten you. As he said also in another place: You are a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchisedech.
(Hebrews 5:1-6)

And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho, with his disciples, and a very great multitude, Bartimeus the blind man, the son of Timeus, sat by the way side begging. Who when he had heard, that it was Jesus of Nazareth, began to cry out, and to say: Jesus son of David, have mercy on me. And many rebuked him, that he might hold his peace; but he cried a great deal the more: Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus, standing still, commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying to him: Be of better comfort: arise, he calls you. Who casting off his garment leaped up, and came to him. And Jesus answering, said to him: What will you that I should do to you? And the blind man said to him: Rabboni, that I may see. And Jesus said to him: Go your way, your faith has made you whole. And immediately he saw, and followed him in the way.
(Mark 10:46-52)

Reflection:

And so it was, those with any number of needs, turned to their Creator. Our world appears to have no end of suffering, some from the challenges of nature, but so much more from the poor choices made by people. Blessed are those who turn to God, for there is no greater hand of protection and comfort than His.

The society of our day offers means by which one may overcome some afflictions, but there are many ways by which we are not whole. We must remember there is our physical nature as well as our spirit. The physical shall pass away, but the spirit of our soul shall form our eternity. For this reason, those who turn to Him may find physical healing, but the most important health to receive from God is the health of the spirit, for it is our spiritual health which allows us to see clearly and walk the path to His eternal kingdom.

We naturally endeavor to relieve our suffering, but what are we to do when we lack knowledge of a remedy to apply? There are those who give us advice from the trial and error of their lives, which we often consider when our maladies cause discomfort, but are not extreme. We might say, what does it hurt to try? When our pain is immense or our affliction is beyond friendly remedies, to whom do we turn? We often turn to one who studies and who appears to have knowledge beyond us. We may turn to physicians for our physical health, but to where do we turn for our spiritual health?

Blindness is not always a matter of darkness. Some may perceive light, but cannot see with clarity, so all to them is a blur. As the Son of God passed by, one who could not see cried out for healing. The response of Jesus to the man was, ?Go your way, your faith has made you whole.? The man desired to be free of his physical affliction, but the response of Jesus, ?... your faith has made you whole.? revealed a greater healing, for the healing given was not for one affliction, but a healing which made the man complete; body and spirit. This is the only way we become whole.

Daily, we care for our physical health. To survive in the world, the healthier we are, the more we are prepared to face the events of the day; the events of the world. Our senses enable us in our efforts, for senses such as sight allow us to see what comes at a distance; allowing us time to consider, plan, and prepare for our response. If the sense of sight enables us so in this finite world, how much greater the gift of spiritual sight, for it will not only enable us in how we may deal with the world which shall pass away, but also how we might prepare for the kingdom eternal.

Questions for further reflection:

In what ways to we observe how God works within our lives?

To whom shall we turn to enable our spiritual health?

By what means may we sharpen the clarity of our spiritual sight?

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier