Faith Daily | 16 February 2022

PRAYER of the DAY - APBA p 537

Let your merciful ears, O Lord,

be open to the prayers of your humble servants;

and that they may obtain their petitions

make them to ask such things as shall please you;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

GOSPEL for the Day: Mark 8: 22-26

22 They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. 23He 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?’ 24And the man* looked up and said, ‘I can see people, but they look like trees, walking.’ 25Then Jesus* laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26Then he sent him away to his home, saying, ‘Do not even go into the village.’

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Cathy Grant

There is something deeply personal, intimate even, about this telling of one of Jesus’ many healing miracles. Jesus takes the man by the hand and leads him, no doubt gently, thoughtfully and carefully to a quieter, calmer place to focus wholly on him, to listen, to discern his needs and to heal him. He takes no shortcuts, but heals the man by degrees, checking with him to understand how his sight is recovering, taking the time to really engage and understand so that the healing is complete.

The generosity of someone giving us their undivided attention can speak more than words. And how powerful touch can be – a hug, a squeeze of your shoulder, a rub of your back from someone who cares, who can see that all is not well with you, that you need love and healing in some way.

Touch and laying his hands on the man would not have been necessary for Jesus the Christ to heal, but in that personal gesture of touch He communicated so much of his understanding, generosity and love for humankind.

So many in our community yearn for time with others and the love of family and friends expressed physically, in person. I pray for our elderly in aged care, for all who feel lonely and isolated, for all who need healing, and for those who do so much to show the love of Christ through their care and love for others.

FINAL PRAYER: Brother Roger of Taize, France

O Christ,

you are united to every human being without exception.

Still more, risen from the dead,

you come to heal the secret wound of our soul.

And for each of us there open the gates

of an infinite goodness of heart.

Through such love, little by little

our hearts are changed.

Amen.