Augustin Sokolovski
Brothers and sisters, we have just read a passage from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 18, verses 35-43. This is the 93rd Gospel reading from Luke. It is supposed to be read on the 31st Sunday after Pentecost. The text tells of the healing of a blind man by the Lord Jesus on the road to Jericho. Let us say right away that this is the last Sunday and the last Sunday reading from the Gospel that is not preparatory to Lent. The following Sunday is the so-called Sunday of Zacchaeus the Publican. Many commentators consider it the first preparatory Sunday for Lent.
The text we have read is brief. It consists of only nine verses. The number nine in the church tradition recalls the nine ranks of angels. As Saint Augustine once wrote: "The faith of the Church is expressed in short words." Anticipating the future short dogmatic formulations of the Church, the Evangelist Luke seems to be in a hurry to tell about the healing of the blind man by the Lord Jesus over the course of only nine verses. Let us recall that in the Gospel of John, which is read after Easter, the Lord heals another blind man. Unlike Luke, John devotes an entire separate sixth chapter with many verses to the healing.
35: As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.
In the Old Testament Bible, Jericho is considered the "city of sin". Jericho stood in the way of the People of Israel when they, led by Joshua, entered the Promised Land. Jericho was miraculously destroyed. At the same time, a curse was pronounced on the one who would rebuild this city. The city was rebuilt. In accordance with the curse, the founder laid his newborn son in its foundation. The only begotten Son of God enters the City of Sin to destroy It. He took upon Himself the curse of the sin of the whole world. He is the only begotten Son of God, Who will be laid in the foundation of the Church. In order not to turn into the "City of Sin" and the "Synagogue of Satan" from the Apocalypse, the Church, as a Society of Believers, must be hospitable to the Truth and Righteousness of Jesus, and strive to be blameless.
36: When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening.
It is obvious that the blind man suffered from extreme weakness. He was disabled, he was helpless. He could not orient himself at all in what was happening, and therefore asked what was happening. The moral lesson here is that we should always ask what exactly is happening. Humility from other people's opinions. It is important to realize your weakness not only before God, but also before people, to be able to listen to the voice of the People of God, which is the Church, in order to receive an answer about the approach of Jesus.
37: They told him, „Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.“
That's what people called Jesus. Jesus of Nazareth. You can't draw a conclusion about faith or unbelief from such an answer. It's possible that the blind man was perceived by those around him as inferior. Blindness, like any serious illness, was considered a punishment for sin. Therefore, the blind man was simply ignored. It was an answer through disdain. However, he heard the name "Jesus". That was enough.
38: He called out, „Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!“
The time of David's Kingdom was considered the ideal time by the biblical people. But that time had long passed. There had been no descendants of David on the throne in Israel for a long time. The descendants of David had been taken into captivity. A lot of time had passed after that. Therefore, the phrase "Son of David" was obviously a messianic title. Hearing about Jesus passing by, the blind man uttered a real "Messianic Confession". "Son of David" is a confession of faith, it is the cry of a believer.
39: Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, „Son of David, have mercy on me!“
"Those who led the way" ... Who are they, these people, who led the way? Were they the spiritual leaders of Israel, or was it just a blind man who immediately jumped up and followed Jesus, not knowing where to go, and ended up last.
The teacher of spiritual life, Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov (1807-1867) saw in the image of the blind man and in the words that he immediately literally shouted to Jesus, an image of the Jesus Prayer. Note that we pray in the imperative mood, we do not ask God to do something politely, but literally demand it from Him. This is very interesting from a theological and philosophical point of view.
40: Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him
The society has ignored the blind man. "Jesus of Nazareth is coming’. Then the people silence the blind man, they try to move on, so that his voice will be drowned in the crowd. Jesus calls him to himself, he waits until he, blind and weak, comes sovereignly. This is a very significant certification and testimony before everyone.
41: „What do you want me to do for you?“ „Lord, I want to see,“ he replied.
Indeed, the blind man asked for mercy. The Lord asks the blind man what he wants from Him. The blind man's answer contains a messianic confession: "Lord, that I may see." Because the blind will be able to see only with the coming of the messianic time. This is what Isaiah wrote about the Messiah, this was the biblical faith.
42: Jesus said to him, „Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.“
The Messianic confession is saving. Salvation comes only by faith. But it is not a faith that a person could work out in himself through effort. This faith is not a dogmatic formulation. It is a faith that is grace, which, by a great unaccountable gift to God, has already touched the heart. The blind man was blind, but he had faith. From contact with the messianic reality of Jesus, faith became a saving and healing force. It is a prophecy about the life of the age to come. This will be the New Jerusalem, in which there will be no temple, but the Lamb of God and God will be the Temple there. Еhere will be no blindness, and there will not even be tears, but “in all things and in all things the Messiah Christ.”
43: Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
"To trust in God, to believe in God, and to follow God" - this is the threefold dimension of biblical faith. That is why the blind man received his sight. He believed Jesus and followed him. The blind man followed Jesus and praised God. We all, according to the word of the Apostle Paul, "were baptized into Christ and have clothed ourselves in Him." We follow Jesus, but we often become discouraged, we judge, we condemn, and we grumble. Therefore humanity is moving away from Christianity. Because being a Christian and not praising God is a great inconsistency. The blind man followed Jesus and praised God. That is why the people, when they saw this, praised God also. The blind man became a believing Christian and a true missionary of the good news, the Gospel of the Healing Messiah Jesus.
This blind man from the Gospel of Luke, who was just now, right here, during our Eucharistic Liturgy, in the Gospel reading, healed by Jesus, lived on. Most likely, he outlived His Healer, for the Lord had very little time left to live on earth. He "lived happily ever after," as they say in fairy tales, for blessed are the believers, and, as it also happens in fairy tales, he died with Christ "on the same day," because he died with gratitude and faith, in order to soon rise again, and a fairy tale is nothing more than a description of the Messianic Time. We do not know his name, but he intercedes for us, the Church Wandering in History, in Heaven. He asks God to give us grace at least in something and even if only partially, to imitate him and believe as only children can believe in fairy tales, for real.