FIRST READING
“In that day the eyes of the blind shall see.”
A reading from the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 29: 17-24)
Thus says the Lord God: Is it not yet a very little while until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest? In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see. The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. For the ruthless shall come to nothing and the scoffer cease, and all who watch to do evil shall be cut off, who by a word make a man out to be an offender, and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate, and with an empty plea turn aside him who is in the right. Therefore thus says the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: “Jacob shall no more be ashamed, no more shall his face grow pale. For when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in his midst, they will sanctify my name; they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel. And those who err in spirit will come to understanding, and those who murmur will accept instruction.”
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 27: 1.4.13- 14 (R. 1a)
R/. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
whom should I dread? R/.
There is one thing I ask of the LORD,
only this do I seek:
to live in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord,
to inquire at his temple. R/.
R/. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness
in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord; be strong;
Be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord! R/.
ALLELUIA
Alleluia. Behold, our Lord shall come with power, and enlighten the eyes of his servants. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
Believing in Jesus, two blind men are healed.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Matthew 9:27-31)
At that time: As Jesus passed on, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be done to you.” And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly charged them, “See that no one knows it.” But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.
The Gospel of the Lord.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
The two blind men were aware of their blindness and had an intense desire to be healed. They were passionately focused. We ourselves are often blind to our irritating traits. We are blind to the signs of God’s love and care for us in the world around us. We are blind to the needs of our brothers and sisters. Our blindness also shows itself in our habit of complaining and dissatisfaction. In humility we ask for mercy from Jesus, like the two blind men, and believe that God can restore our vision to see as God sees. It will be done according to our faith for, “To be holy is to see with the eyes of Christ.”