A weary mother returned from the store, lugging groceries through the kitchen door. Awaiting her arrival her 8 year old son, anxious to relate what his younger brother had done. While I was playing and dad on a call, TJ took crayons and wrote on the wall. It’s on the new wall paper you hung in the den; I told him you’d be mad at having to do it over again. She let out a moan, furrowed her brow; where is your little brother right now? She emptied her arms and with a purposeful stride she marched to the closet where he went to hide. She called his full name as she entered the room he trembled knowing this meant doom. For 10 minutes she ranted and raved about that wallpaper and how she had saved. Lamenting all the work it would take to repair she condemned his actions and lack of care. The more she scolded the madder she got then stomped from his room totally distraught. She headed to the den to confirm her worst fears but when she saw the wall, her eyes filled with tears. The message she read pierced her soul with a dart; it said: I LOVE YOU MOMMY, surrounded by a big heart! Well, the wallpaper remained, just as she found it, with an empty picture frame around it. A reminder to her and a reminder to us all: TAKE TIME TO READ THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL!
How many times are we so blind that we fail to see the handwriting on the wall? Even if we have perfect sight, we all too often are blind.
As people of faith, Jesus calls us to cast off our spiritual blindness; to see with eyes of faith; to see with the eyes of Christ.
Halfway home in Lent, on a way to Easter glory we arrive at Laetare Sunday, we wear the pink, I mean rose vestments and we celebrate the 2nd Scrutiny for our Elect. That means we hear the beautiful Gospel known as the man born blind. Blindness implied sinfulness but Jesus debunks this and physically heals the blind man. In a truly sacramental action, where Jesus used words and matter (mud and saliva) he regains his sight. A reminder to us that in the 7 Sacraments of the Church there is matter (water, bread & wine, oil) and words (formularies and prayers)! Jesus gives us such an example in this healing. The blind man told all who would listen that Jesus indeed healed him and he could see and that Jesus is a prophet. He continues, give God the praise! The blind man declared that He now believes and worshipped Jesus. Jesus is always healing us, yet we need to cooperate. It is spiritual blindness that prevents us from seeing Jesus; sometimes we fail to see Him in the Eucharist, we fail to see Him in our brothers and sisters, we fail to see Him in those society deems unworthy: the poor, the sick, the weak, the elderly, the unborn child, the inmate, the immigrant and refugee, the dying, those who may be different because of race, creed and color. Jesus says cast off your blindness, see me, see me, come to me, I want you to see! As St. Paul told those in Ephesus: live as children of the light, light produces every kind of goodness, Christ will give you light! Why? Because He is the light!
In the days and week ahead, can we work on our spiritual vision? Can we cast away our spiritual blindness? Can we sing with renewed vigor, I once was lost but now I am found, was blind but now I see? Will we truly take the time to see the handwriting on the wall?
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