'Lord, open my eyes. I want to see' (Lk. 18:41) We may have read or heard these verses in the Holy Bible several times. As the Lord Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When the blind man heard the noise of the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." He called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Lord Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Lord Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" "Lord, I want to see," he replied. Then Lord Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
As per the statistics of the global agencies conducting studies on eye-sight and blindness, the number of blind in the world is estimated to 39 million and people with vision impairment is 108 million. Due to a number of factors the number of people with vision impairment is expected to rise steeply in the years to come.
The natural (physical) eyes are helpful to see the wondrous things in the universe. A person who sees (and studies) all these beautiful and mysterious creations, may think about the One who created and maintains them. But all people with eye-sight are not seeing the Creator behind the magnificent creations. At the same time many people who are naturally blind have strong belief in God.
Being physically blind is empathetic and they surely deserve our support and sympathy. But being 'spiritually blind' is very pathetic and dangerous. The inability to see (due to lack of belief/faith) the occurrence of the Word of God is 'spiritual blindness'. In other words, every promise in the Holy Bible, when prayed with 'faith' is 'happened'. But spiritual blindness makes the person unable to see or feel them. It may be the evil forces (sins) that cover the eyes of the soul.
Lets go to 2 Kings 6: 10-20. The man of God (Elisha) revealed the secret plans of the enemy (Aram) to the king of Israel. When the king of Aram came to know about it, he sent horses and chariots and a great army to seize Elisha. They came by night surrounded the whole city. Now when the servant of Prophet Elisha had risen early and gone out he saw the huge army and cried out in panic. But Elisha was calm and comforted him saying that they had a bigger and more powerful army ready to protect them. But Elisha's servant could see it and perceive only after the Prophet prayed and opened his 'inner eyes'! Even though the servant could not see the huge heavenly army of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha, it was truly positioned there.
It will be very difficult to cure people who are spiritually blind because they think and claim they see, even though they do not see. The fact is that they are unaware that they are blind. The Word of God can enter into their soul, only if they humbly open their ears to God's Words shared through different channels. Through reading the Holy Bible or through His chosen representatives or through participating in Spiritual retreats/activities one can hear the Words of God. Only the Holy Spirit can cure their blindness and make them see the 'invisible' things that really exist.
Unfortunately there are many 'practicing' faithful in the church who are spiritually blind and deaf. They think that all what they reason, believe, say or do only are right and correct (to their convenience). They neither believe nor listen to God's Words. They never bother to accept the fact and try to rectify their blindness. Such blindness and deafness may lead them to destruction. If they humbly beseech the Lord who shed His Blood and poured His Life for them, their inner eyes will obtain sight. For getting crystal clear spiritual sight, the easiest and best way is to resolve firmly and take a pledge to Pray the Holy Rosary everyday without break. The Holy Virgin Mother will surely and gladly help everyone who implores her aid to reach Her Son. After getting inner sight of the spirit, one will be able to see clearly what is good and what is bad and whether the path one travels is right or wrong. Only those who are spiritually sighted can see 'clearly and really' the Saviour of the Humanity in the Holy Eucharist. And innumerable angels and saints who ceaselessly adore Him where ever the Holy Mass is offered and/or the Holy Eucharistic Adoration is held.
We find the spiritual blindness of two of the disciples being cured at the Lord's Supper on the Easter Day. Two disciples of the Lord who were on their way to Emmaus could not 'recognize' the Lord even though He walked more than 10 km along with them and talked elaborately on 'the Messiah' starting from Moses and all the Prophets. Their eyes were opened and they could see the Lord only after 'He took Bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave them'. (Luke 24: 30-31). This incident demonstrates the fact that Participating in the Holy Mass and receiving worthily the Holy Eucharist will open blind eyes and deaf ears.
Like the servant of Prophet Elisha who could not see the heavenly army (even though it was very present there), if a person cannot feel or see the presence of the Lord in Holy places or in the fellows and poor people, let him understand that he/she is spiritually blind and beg the lord as the blind beggar in Jericho did, "Lord, open my eyes and let me see"..!
As per the statistics of the global agencies conducting studies on eye-sight and blindness, the number of blind in the world is estimated to 39 million and people with vision impairment is 108 million. Due to a number of factors the number of people with vision impairment is expected to rise steeply in the years to come.
The natural (physical) eyes are helpful to see the wondrous things in the universe. A person who sees (and studies) all these beautiful and mysterious creations, may think about the One who created and maintains them. But all people with eye-sight are not seeing the Creator behind the magnificent creations. At the same time many people who are naturally blind have strong belief in God.
Being physically blind is empathetic and they surely deserve our support and sympathy. But being 'spiritually blind' is very pathetic and dangerous. The inability to see (due to lack of belief/faith) the occurrence of the Word of God is 'spiritual blindness'. In other words, every promise in the Holy Bible, when prayed with 'faith' is 'happened'. But spiritual blindness makes the person unable to see or feel them. It may be the evil forces (sins) that cover the eyes of the soul.
Lets go to 2 Kings 6: 10-20. The man of God (Elisha) revealed the secret plans of the enemy (Aram) to the king of Israel. When the king of Aram came to know about it, he sent horses and chariots and a great army to seize Elisha. They came by night surrounded the whole city. Now when the servant of Prophet Elisha had risen early and gone out he saw the huge army and cried out in panic. But Elisha was calm and comforted him saying that they had a bigger and more powerful army ready to protect them. But Elisha's servant could see it and perceive only after the Prophet prayed and opened his 'inner eyes'! Even though the servant could not see the huge heavenly army of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha, it was truly positioned there.
It will be very difficult to cure people who are spiritually blind because they think and claim they see, even though they do not see. The fact is that they are unaware that they are blind. The Word of God can enter into their soul, only if they humbly open their ears to God's Words shared through different channels. Through reading the Holy Bible or through His chosen representatives or through participating in Spiritual retreats/activities one can hear the Words of God. Only the Holy Spirit can cure their blindness and make them see the 'invisible' things that really exist.
Unfortunately there are many 'practicing' faithful in the church who are spiritually blind and deaf. They think that all what they reason, believe, say or do only are right and correct (to their convenience). They neither believe nor listen to God's Words. They never bother to accept the fact and try to rectify their blindness. Such blindness and deafness may lead them to destruction. If they humbly beseech the Lord who shed His Blood and poured His Life for them, their inner eyes will obtain sight. For getting crystal clear spiritual sight, the easiest and best way is to resolve firmly and take a pledge to Pray the Holy Rosary everyday without break. The Holy Virgin Mother will surely and gladly help everyone who implores her aid to reach Her Son. After getting inner sight of the spirit, one will be able to see clearly what is good and what is bad and whether the path one travels is right or wrong. Only those who are spiritually sighted can see 'clearly and really' the Saviour of the Humanity in the Holy Eucharist. And innumerable angels and saints who ceaselessly adore Him where ever the Holy Mass is offered and/or the Holy Eucharistic Adoration is held.
We find the spiritual blindness of two of the disciples being cured at the Lord's Supper on the Easter Day. Two disciples of the Lord who were on their way to Emmaus could not 'recognize' the Lord even though He walked more than 10 km along with them and talked elaborately on 'the Messiah' starting from Moses and all the Prophets. Their eyes were opened and they could see the Lord only after 'He took Bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave them'. (Luke 24: 30-31). This incident demonstrates the fact that Participating in the Holy Mass and receiving worthily the Holy Eucharist will open blind eyes and deaf ears.
Like the servant of Prophet Elisha who could not see the heavenly army (even though it was very present there), if a person cannot feel or see the presence of the Lord in Holy places or in the fellows and poor people, let him understand that he/she is spiritually blind and beg the lord as the blind beggar in Jericho did, "Lord, open my eyes and let me see"..!
