Reading for Today: Mark 8:22-26 RSV Updated edition.
“ … and he looked intently, and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly”
Mark 8: 25
The healing of the blind man at Bethsada is unique to the gospel of Mark and is characterized by several puzzleing elements. First, it is the only healing Jesus does that isn’t accomplished on the first try. Jesus has to touch the man twice. Second, this blind man obviouisly had sight at one time for he compares what he sees the first time to “people but they look like trees”. So what does this story offer us?
In a workshop on the function of memory the audience was exposed to a series of ten words related to sleeping, e.g. drowsy, tired, napping, etc. which we were asked to memorize in one minute. Then the screen was blanked and we were asked to write down all the words we recalled. Everyone in the audience got several of the words and everyone put down sleepy as one of the words we remembered. But when the list was revealed back to us the word “sleepy” was not on the list. We thought sure we had seen it but oviously we hadn’t.
How often are we sure we are seeing something clearly, understanding it completely, only to discover after a second look that the issue or idea or person was completely different? The truth of our experience in life is that often we need to look at something several times before we see it clearly just as did the man whose sight Jesus was healing. So the story reminds us that even when we think we understand God’s action in our lives, we may need to pause and look again in order to truly see the presence of the divine at work. As Paul reminds us, “now we see in a mirror dimly” 1 Corn 13:12
We live in a time when many voices are telling us that they alone have the truth. From the internet to conspiracy theorists to politicians we are bombarded with points of view that we are to “see” and “accept” as the TRUTH. This story reminds us to look at everything “intently” a second time [or more] to make sure we are “seeing clearly”. Additionaly it is a call for us to walk humbly as we proclaim what we believe.
Reflections 