Lichtstrahl 139 - The healing of a blind man

LICHTSTRAHL 139             GOSPEL:  Luke 18 (35-43)            TRINITY         20. August 2023
THE HEALING OF A BLIND MAN
 
Dear friends!
 
We speak of a healthy and functioning organism, when everything is in balance.  If in plantlife the roots, the stems and leaves as well as the blossoms develop in a balanced way, supporting each other and making growth possible, we speak of a healthy plant.  At the same time we do also know, that if we reduce or trim one part of a plant, another is increasing in strength, size and productivity.
 
If all the sense organs in a human being are functioning in a balanced and undisturbed way, we speak of a healthy senselife.  It is however also there a fact, that a person with for instance no eyesight, a blind person, develops a sensitivity and efficiency in the other sense organs, like the ears.  That must have been the case with the blind beggar sitting at the roadside leading to Jericho.  He sat there every day and surely he, on the day of his encounter with the Christ Jesus, heard from far that an unusual crowd was nearing him.  Maybe it was unusually big, or unusually excited or unsually intense – he heard that with his sensitive ears and immediately reacted with great interest:  “What is all this about?” 
 
But not only his ears revealed to him what was coming.  We can imagine that a blind person develops a second sight much more strongly than seeing persons.  The sight of the soul eye.  In our path towards Michaelmas we are made aware of the potential of our soul eyes.  That we as human beings in our development should  become aware and train our soul eyes.  The Michael epistle starts with the words:  “THE EYES OF OUR SOUL BEHOLD HIM, WHO IS THE COUNTENANCE OF GOD…..”Can we relate to that, if our soul eyes are still undiscovered?
 
Being blind and totally dependant on the help of others had prepared the beggar at Jericho to experience the inner light that was coming towards him.  Surely he had heard a lot about the Son of David, who was to come and heal.  Surely he had had enough time to think and ponder about the news  that were travelling throughout the country about Jesus of Nazareth being that saviour.  Surely he had gone through a lot of endurance and humiliation to develop a deep belief in the coming of the Son of David.  And thirdly he surely had experienced helplessness to an extent, that his own willpower became very strong and alert.  And so he knew who Jesus was, and so he had faith and so he did not hesitate to come into action, even when he was told to be quiet.
 
The healings in the New Testament are not miracles or wonders, they are very real if we read and listen to them carefully.  The conditions are clearly stated in this very short episode of the healing of the blind beggar at Jericho and we tend to overread them.  However every single word is a whole world of truth and meaningfulness.  If we awaken to these worlds of words, healing can take place anywhere as a result of our awareness and understanding.
 
Christine Voigts