The Winning Claim!

Monday, November 18, 2024

Rv 1:1-4; 2:1-5; Lk 18:35-43

Today’s Gospel enlightens us with the prudence of the blind man who makes the winning claim. 

Christian moral theology understands prudence as the ‘right reason.’ 

The miracle of healing the blind man shows that he was begging. What must have happened when the blind man started begging? The question calls for our imagination to understand his plight. 

Some must have alienated him for incurring the wrath of God so that he was born blind. Some others must have denied him alms. Many others must have humiliated him for making his living through alms.

But we must note that none of those who criticized, reviled, and resented the blind man was capable of curing his blindness. 

This is why the blind man disregards the instructions of those who try to silence him. 

On his part, the blind man strongly believes that Jesus is the one-stop solution for what he needs and therefore, throws everything at him. 

It is surprising to see that Jesus could hear the blind man despite the crowd that surrounded him. 

The blind man must have begged for money so far. But he begs Jesus to have pity on him. He must have looked for some attention from others. But from Jesus he expects a cure. 

By begging for Jesus’ attention and pity, the blind man begs one last time in his life. 

By employing his right reason, the blind man understood the futility of relying on human support and turned to Jesus for help, as he alone could heal him. 

In my opinion, by begging for God’s mercy, the blind man makes the winning claim. 

Let us pray that we may discern God as our final refuge and make the winning claim as the blind man did. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar