The blind man

Monday,
November 18, 2019
33rd Week in
Ordinary Time
First Reading:
1Mac 1:10-15, 41-43; 54-57
Gospel Reading: Lk 18:35-43
When Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road, begging. As he heard the crowd passing by, he inquired what it was, and they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was going by. Then he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” The people in front scolded him, “Be quiet!” but he cried out all the more, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Jesus stopped and ordered the blind man to be brought to him, and when he came near, he asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the man said, “Lord that I may see!” Jesus said, “Receive your sight, your faith has saved you.” At once the blind man was able to see, and he followed Jesus, giving praise to God. And all the people who were there also praised God.
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
A story is told of a group of frogs leaping through the woods. Two fell into a deep pit. The other frogs were not sympathetic. To them the two were just too careless and stupid. They gathered around the pit and began deriding the two who were so helplessly trying to jump their way out. “You are as good as dead”, they chorused. One frog succumbed to the discouraging comments and died, but the other persisted in jumping. The more they discouraged him, the harder he jumped. Finally he got out of the pit. Later they found out that the frog that made it to safety was deaf.
Today’s Gospel presents a blind man who found himself amidst a non-sympathetic crowd. People were trying to silence him as he started calling out on Jesus. He was already blind. Should he still suffer being a persona non grata? None of these circumstances deterred him. He knew there was no other chance to call out on Jesus that close. So he ignored the crowd.
The blind man saw what most of us do not see in times of rejection. When rebuffed, we begin to panic and beg for love from these superficial friends. The blind man saw the real friend to call on, and he insisted in calling upon him till he was heard.

Crisis drives away the false friends we thought we could rely upon. Those who are not aware of the mechanics of the hypocrites and anchor their security upon these pretenders will end up having no one to turn to when they need one. Good if they have inner strength. But if they only find wounds in their inner sanctuaries they will surely succumb to discouragement like the unfortunate frog that gave up jumping from that deep pit.
Let’s learn from the blind man by knowing whom to call in times of crisis. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., J.D., D.M.