The Lord is My Light and My Salvation

Readings for Friday December 3, 2010

Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, priest

First Reading: Isaiah 29:17-24
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 27
Gospel: Matthew 9:27-31


As Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying out, “Son of David, have pity on us!” When he entered the house, the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they said to him. Then he touched their eyes and said, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” But they went out and spread word of him through all that land. (Mt. 9:27-31)

In today's first reading, Isaiah speaks of the great works of the Lord, and the impossible situations that the Lord can heal and take care of. Making the deaf hear, the blind to see, and rising up the lowly ... these all seem like impossible situations, but not to God. God has the power to rise us up from these worldly lives of sin, and to save us from the world and ourselves. But this saving grace requires faith and trust. If we are willing to follow our Lord, and to trust Him with all our hearts He will begin to work wonders in our lives.

Today we see in the gospel reading the power of God. When the blind men called out to Jesus, they called Him "Son of David", a term that was very significant, and a term that was reserved for the Messiah. Although they could not see, they blind men were guided by their hearts, for they had no doubts about who Jesus really was. In some ways, you could say that as blind men they "saw" better than most. Jesus had mercy on them because of their faith in Him, and they were rewarded with the gift of physical sight. These men teach us about the healing power of Jesus, and how if we call upon Him, He will give us sight in many situations. There are many times in my life where I have problems or issues that do not have a clear answer. It is in these times that I am blind to the situation; and I have recognized that the times that I am thriving in my prayer life, Jesus makes these answers very clear. This is one of the reasons why it is so important for us to keep a good prayer life, or relationship, with our Lord. We need His guidance, and for Him to light the way on our path. If we commit to giving Him time each day to listen, then we will continue to thrive in this life, and not just survive.

Today, let us remember the words of the psalmist: The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Father above, we thank you for the gift of this day. Lord, increase our faith so that we can be better servants of you. Lord, we are nothing without you, may we always remember your saving power in our lives. We pray for all those who are suffering, and all those who are lost. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.