From: Matthew 9:27-31
The Curing of Two Blind Men. The Dumb Devil
[27] And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying
aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” [28] When he entered the house, the
blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able
to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” [29] Then he touched their eyes,
saying, “ According to your faith be it done to you.” [30] And their eyes were
opened. And Jesus sternly charged them, “See that no one knows it.” [31] But
they went away and spread his fame through all that district.
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Commentary:
27-34. The evangelist shows people’s different reactions to miracles. Everyone
admits that God is at work in these events — everyone, that is, except the Phari-
sees who attribute them to the power of the devil. A pharisaical attitude so har-
dens a person’s heart that he becomes closed to any possibility of salvation.
The fact that the blind men recognize Jesus as the Messiah (they call him “Son
of David”: v. 27) may have exasperated the Pharisees. Despite Jesus’ sublime
teaching, despite his miracles, they remain entrenched in their opposition.
In the light of this episode it is easy enough to see that the paradox is true:
there are blind people who in fact see God and seers who see no trace of him.
30. Why did our Lord not want them to publicize the miracle? Because his plan
was to gradually manifest himself as the Messiah, the Son of God. He did not
want to anticipate events which would occur in their own good time; nor did he
want the crowd to start hailing him as Messiah King, because their notion of
messiah was a nationalistic, not a spiritual one. However, the crowd did in fact
proclaim him when he worked the miracles of the loaves and the fish (Jn 6:14-
15): “When the people saw the sign which he had done, they said, ‘This is in-
deed the prophet who is to come into the world!’ Perceiving then that they were
about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again
to the hills by himself.”
31. St Jerome (cf. “Comm. on Matthew”, 9, 31) says that the blind men spread
the news of their cure, not out of disobedience to Jesus, but because it was the
only way they could find to express their gratitude.
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: White.
| First reading |
Isaiah 29:17-24 © |
| In a very short time, the deaf will hear and the eyes of the blind will see |
The Lord says this:
In a short time, a very short time,
shall not Lebanon become fertile land
and fertile land turn into forest?
The deaf, that day,
will hear the words of a book
and, after shadow and darkness,
the eyes of the blind will see.
But the lowly will rejoice in the Lord even more
and the poorest exult in the Holy One of Israel;
for tyrants shall be no more, and scoffers vanish,
and all be destroyed who are disposed to do evil:
those who gossip to incriminate others,
those who try at the gate to trip the arbitrator
and get the upright man’s case dismissed for groundless reasons.
Therefore the Lord speaks,
the God of the House of Jacob,
Abraham’s redeemer:
No longer shall Jacob be ashamed,
no more shall his face grow pale,
for he shall see what my hands have done in his midst,
he shall hold my name holy.
They will hallow the Holy One of Jacob,
stand in awe of the God of Israel.
Erring spirits will learn wisdom
and murmurers accept instruction.
| Responsorial Psalm |
| Psalm 26(27):1,4,13-14 © |
The Lord is my light and my help.
The Lord is my light and my help;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
before whom shall I shrink?
The Lord is my light and my help.
There is one thing I ask of the Lord,
for this I long,
to live in the house of the Lord,
all the days of my life,
to savour the sweetness of the Lord,
to behold his temple.
The Lord is my light and my help.
I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness
in the land of the living.
Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.
Hope in the Lord!
The Lord is my light and my help.
| Gospel Acclamation |
cf.Is45:8 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Send victory like a dew, you heavens,
and let the clouds rain it down.
Let the earth open and bring forth the saviour.
Alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia!
Behold, our Lord will come with power
and will enlighten the eyes of his servants.
Alleluia!
| 'Take care that no-one learns about this' |
As Jesus went on his way two blind men followed him shouting, ‘Take pity on us, Son of David.’ And when Jesus reached the house the blind men came up with him and he said to them, ‘Do you believe I can do this?’ They said, ‘Sir, we do.’ Then he touched their eyes saying, ‘Your faith deserves it, so let this be done for you.’ And their sight returned. Then Jesus sternly warned them, ‘Take care that no one learns about this.’ But when they had gone, they talked about him all over the countryside.