Seeing Clearly

They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, ‘Can you see anything?’ And the man looked up and said, ‘I can see people, but they look like trees, walking.’ Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Then he sent him away to his home, saying, ‘Do not even go into the village.’ Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ And they answered him, ‘John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’ He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Messiah.’ And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him. Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’ Mark 8:22-33

Seeing clearly is often a very difficult thing. Even with perfect eyesight, we can misinterpret what we see, and misunderstand what is said. Jesus heals a man born blind in the midst of a revelation about his true nature. The man honestly described how he was not seeing clearly. Yet the disciples, particularly Peter, got it right one minute and so wrong the next. We rarely want to see the hard truths. We rarely are willing to admit to our own need and failings. Yet in the midst of very humanity, Jesus is among us as the one who suffers with us and brings us healing in the midst of our human messes.

Wondrous Creator, you know us completely

you see our frailties and stubbornness

and look on us with great and eternal love

even when we reuse to see or hear clearly.

We refuse to face our own limitations

while judging others severely for theirs

we all want healing and restoration

and refuse to see the work we must do.

Give us your sight and your heart, Lord

help us to see you in the midst of suffering

make us those who reach out the hurting

sharing your love and healing with the world. Amen.