6th Week in Ordinary Time

[Jesus] laid hands on the man’s eyes a second time and he saw clearly. 

Today’s Gospel passage (Mark 8:22-26) tells the story of a healing that didn’t quite work at first. Jesus had to lay his hands on a blind man not once but twice before the man could see. Surely Jesus could have healed him fully the first time, but he didn’t. Why not? And why would Mark include this “two step” healing in his Gospel? Maybe to show us something new about who God is and the way he works with us.

God is compassionate. Jesus showed great gentleness in his interaction with this man. He “took the blind man by the hand and led him” away from the scrutiny of the crowds (Mark 8:23). He didn’t just heal him from a distance as he did with the centurion’s servant (Matthew 8:8-13). He came close. Close enough to touch his eyes, close enough to ask if he could see, and close enough to listen for his reply. How consoling this human contact must have been! Isolated by his blindness, he must have longed to experience such connection.

God is persistent. Jesus surely knew that the man was only partially healed, but he asked anyway. He was looking to heal more than his physical blindness; he was concerned with his spiritual blindness as well. To his credit, the man responded honestly. It must have taken some courage to confess that people looked like trees. But had he simply thanked Jesus for the little bit he received and gone on his way, the man would have lived the rest of his life in physical and spiritual confusion. Jesus’ insistent questioning gave the man the courage to seek more.

God is patient. Throughout his Gospel, Mark reveals Jesus as a tireless Teacher whose disciples continually misunderstand who he is. Many scholars believe that the blind man’s progressive healing points to Jesus’ patience in helping his disciples to see. Jesus kept working with them, he kept working with the blind man, and he will keep working with us.

The same Jesus who drew the blind man aside with compassion seeks to be close to us today. He will persistently touch us, heal us, and listen to our needs. He will patiently help us to believe, until we see him face-to-face.

“Jesus, please help me to see you more clearly today.”

James 1:19-27
Psalm 15:2-5