Persistence In Prayer

Remaining persistent in prayer is perhaps one of the hardest things to do in one’s spiritual life. Continually bringing our needs before the Lord can be exhausting and, at times, frustrating, especially when we don’t see how God is working in a situation. Yet this is precisely what our Lord desires of us. Hold onto that thought as you read of the two blind men healed by Christ.

Gospel - Matthew 9:27-31

As Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying out,

“Son of David, have pity on us!”

When he entered the house,

the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them,

“Do you believe that I can do this?”

“Yes, Lord,” they said to him.

Then he touched their eyes and said,

“Let it be done for you according to your faith.”

And their eyes were opened.

Jesus warned them sternly,

“See that no one knows about this.”

But they went out and spread word of him through all that land.

Scriptural Analysis

On the road, Jesus encounters two blind men. Unlike modern society, which accommodates those with physical limitations, being blind usually means being economically impoverished and suffering social hardships. Like many illnesses, blindness was often seen as a punishment for one’s sins. It was a common disease in Palestine. It was partly caused by the glare of the eastern sun on the people’s uncovered eyes and by a lack of cleanliness and hygiene. Clouds of flies carried infection, which caused blindness.

The blind men address Jesus as the “Son Of David.” This is the first time we have seen this address used. Not only does it have messianic overtones, but it also brings to mind David’s biological son, King Solomon, who was known in Jewish tradition as a healer and an exorcist. For centuries, the Jewish people had waited for the promised deliverer of David’s line. Not only would they be freed, but they would be restored to greatness among the nations. That is how these two blind men viewed Jesus.

Notice that Jesus did not initially respond to these men. He needed to ensure that the request of these men was genuine and that they were not simply following the crowds. Jesus keeps on walking to his destination. The blind men enter the house after Jesus (likely Peter’s house in Capernaum), and in response to their faith, Jesus touches their eyes, and they are healed (“opened” is the word used in the Gospel). As was typical, Jesus instructed them not to tell anyone about the miracle. Jesus does that because he does not want to confuse people into thinking he was a political messiah, as one might conclude based on the “Son of David” title.

Daily Application

Most of us will not face a physical limitation such as blindness, yet all of us have struggles in our lives. We all encounter situations or challenges that find us turning to the Lord in prayer. God answers every one of our prayers. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “If our prayer is resolutely united with that of Jesus, in trust and boldness as children, we obtain all that we ask in his name.” (CCC 2741)

However, his answer does not always come in the time or fashion we want. There are numerous times were we don’t even recognize his answer. This means we run the risk of giving up, of not continuing to ask our Lord what what we need. That is a temptation that we must resist. We must be steadfast in our faith and continually bring our needs to the Lord. We must also accept that he will answer the prayer in the way he knows is best for us: in the way, he knows we need him to answer so that we may become Saints.