Gospel LK 18:35-43

As Jesus approached Jericho
a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging,
and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening.
They told him,
“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!”
The people walking in front rebuked him,
telling him to be silent,
but he kept calling out all the more,
“Son of David, have pity on me!”
Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him;
and when he came near, Jesus asked him,
“What do you want me to do for you?”
He replied, “Lord, please let me see.”
Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.”
He immediately received his sight
and followed him, giving glory to God.
When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.

Reflection

As Jesus approached Jericho
a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging,
and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening.
They told him,
“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!”

As Jesus traveled though the villages, people crowded around Him to hear His message of God’s love and forgiveness. Suddenly, there was an interruption a commotion was taking place; someone was urgently crying out to Jesus for help.

The people walking in front rebuked him,
telling him to be silent,
but he kept calling out all the more,
“Son of David, have pity on me!”

The blind man was not concerned about what others thought of him. He recognized Jesus as the one person who could help him, so he cried out to Him with abandonment.

A stranger may not take a child’s cry seriously but a parent instinctively recognizes the difference between their child’s whining complaint and their desperate cry. Nothing freezes the heart of a parent more than a cry for help from one of their children.

Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him;
and when he came near, Jesus asked him,
“What do you want me to do for you?”
He replied, “Lord, please let me see.”

Upon hearing the man cry out, Jesus immediately “stopped!” He interrupted what He was doing and responded. Jesus healed the blind man and told him, “Your faith has saved you.”

Let Jesus’ response to the blind beggar inspire us to stop and be God’s healing presence to those who cry out for help.

“As followers of Christ, the interruptions are our work.” Unknown