In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.
I walk, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, with Jesus of Nazareth as he journeys throughout Judea. I walk with him and I hear the teachings, I see the miracles. There is a crowd around and I feel joyful that I am part of a movement. And as we prepare to make the ascent from Jericho up Mount Zion, to the Holy City of Jerusalem, I prepare with others to declare him my King:
‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest! (Luke 19:38)
Yet when the powers of this age come to arrest him I run away, and when I am accused of being his follower I deny him, and when the King of Glory is crucified I can only watch from a distance. Having seen the miracles, having seen Christ, I remain blind, having heard the Gospel I remain deaf, having been presented with Life I prefer death.
I walk with Jesus of Nazareth as he journeys throughout Judea, and we come to a beggar, a blind man, by the road. Despite his blindness, he sees what I do not. “Jesus, Son of David,” he cries out, “have mercy on me!” And I am scandalised. I am walking with Jesus, listening to Jesus, am in the presence of Jesus and a blind man would interrupt my experience. “Be silent!” I curse him, “Do not disturb the Master.” His physical blindness, though, does not stop him seeing spiritually. “Illumine our hearts,” says the priest before the reading of the Gospel,
O Master who lovest mankind, with the pure light of thy divine knowledge, and open the eyes of our mind to the understanding of the Gospel teaching.
I have seen the man Jesus of Nazareth—one whom I follow while it suits me but abandon whenever I am tested—while the blind man sees the incarnate God. And for my sake, not for the sake of the blind man but for me, the Lord heals him; God works a miracle for another person but it is for my own benefit. And standing here in the crowd I must make a choice, will I be changed by this miracle or not? Will I rejoice in the power of God or will I be scandalised that one inferior to me received the blessing? Will I be more than a fair weather Christian, here for the good times but hidden throughout trials and tribulations?
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the Lord presents to us the Gospel—the report of the defeat of death, sin and idolatry and an invitation to new Life—and we must respond. Will you, will I, be fair weather Christians? Will we be scandalised by one who is beneath us calling on the Lord? Or will we see with our spiritual eyes the Lord incarnate who has come to free us from our slavery to sin and lead us to our own Jerusalem, our own arrest, our own Golgotha, our own cross, our own death and through them to resurrection and eternal Life?
Let us, then, dear brothers and sisters, not only see and hear but know, comprehend and understand that Christ is victorious and leads us to the Kingdom where we co-reign with him.
To our incarnate, crucified and risen Lord, God and Saviour, whose healings gives strength to all, be all glory, honour and worship, together with his unoriginate Father and the All-holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit. Amen.
Timothy, my son, the saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And I am the foremost of sinners; but I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience for an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of Ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory to the ages of ages. Amen.
— First Timothy 1:15–17
At that time, as Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging; and hearing a multitude going by, he inquired what this meant. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” And he cried, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped, and commanded him to be brought to Him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me receive my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.
— Luke 18:35–43