Messianic Promises

Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M., Administrator

Our focus today is on God's response to physical disability; both the reading from Isaiah and the Gospel passage from St. Matthew raise this issue. It is, of course, one that is near and dear to any CUSAN's heart.

Isaiah speaks of God's response to the deaf and the blind. In both cases, the disability not only isolates the victim, it also forces the issue of dependence upon others. People with sight impairment are isolated from things as lack of sight makes it impossible to determine if something lies in one's path. People with a hearing impairment are isolated from people inasmuch as the ordinary form of communication is precluded; namely, conversation.

At the same time, these two disabilities create a need in the individual for help from another. This is, perhaps, even more difficult to bear than the isolation. As a people, we love our independence, our freedom to do as we wish when we wish. Resentment over our sense of dependence upon God or others is very close to the Original Sin of Adam and Eve who wanted to be like God.

The popular adage (There are none so blind as those who will not see or none so deaf as those who will not hear.) points us to the realization that spiritual blindness and spiritual deafness are far more dangerous to our well being than the physical varieties. While the Scriptures present us with the Messianic promise of healing and wholeness, the Gospel also points us to the need to open the eyes and ears of our souls to God's Word. Then we will realize how truly dependent we are upon God.