In today’s Gospel we hear the story of Jesus healing a blind man. While Jesus performed many miracles or healings there are a couple of elements that make this healing story stand out. First, instead of immediately healing by a simple command Jesus performs a ritual action: “Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on the man.” Second, the healing take place in stages. In the first stage the man sees partially, “I see people looking like trees and walking.” When Jesus lays his hands on the man’s eyes a second time, we are told that now “he saw clearly.”
Mark is telling this healing story for two reasons. First and foremost, to show that Jesus has power to heal the sick, the blind, the lame, and the possessed. Mark makes this healing story stand out because he wants to use this healing of a blind man as a reading guide to his Gospel. Throughout the Gospel we hear of people who are spiritually blind.
“Jesus answered the Twelve: ‘The mystery of the kingdom of God has been granted to you. But to those outside everything comes in parables, so that they may look and see but not perceive and hear and listen but not understand…” (Mark 4:11-12).
At this point in the Gospel, it is the Jewish scribes and Jesus’ family who are spiritually blind. Later Jesus will also accuse the Twelve of being blind.
“Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up… When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?… Do you still not understand?” (Mark 8:17-20).
This passage accusing the Twelve of being blind comes right before today’s Gospel, the healing of a blind man. Ultimately everyone in Mark’s Gospel is at least partially blind. The rest of Mark’s Gospel will describe Jesus’ healing of his blind disciples. This healing will take place in stages until they come to a full understanding of Jesus. He is both the Messiah who teaches and heals with authority and the Suffering Son of Man.
You and I are invited today to see ourselves in this blind man. We may not fully see or understand Jesus or the ways of God. Jesus is patient with us as he was patient with his first disciples. He gradually works to heal our blindness. We may not “get” Jesus, but Jesus “gets” us.
Image: “NT094.Jesus heals a blind man” by pcstratman is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.