Thus says the Lord GOD:
But a very little while,
and Lebanon shall be changed into an orchard,
and the orchard be regarded as a forest!
On that day the deaf shall hear
the words of a book;
And out of gloom and darkness,
the eyes of the blind shall see.
The lowly will ever find joy in the LORD,
and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. (Is 29:17-19)
People look for hope every day.
In today’s world, it seems to be harder and harder to find hope.
There are wars, famine, pestilence, poverty and other ills around every corner. We see examples of evil everywhere we look.
In such an environment, we can easily lose hope.
Ah, but that is exactly what the devil has in mind.
The more people lose hope, the tighter his grasp becomes on the world.
Jesus brings us hope.
Jesus is our hope.
He is our help and our shield.
The first reading and Gospel today talk about the blind being cured.
In many ways, this world places a spiritual blindness upon us. We need to cast off that blindness, the shackles of sin, in order that we may truly see the beauty, love and hope brought to us by our God.
Make no mistake.
There is hope.
It is all around us.
All we need to do is open our eyes and see!
FAITH ACTION: Are you blind to the hope that is present to you? Ask the Lord to help you see. Is someone in your life living in blindness to the Lord? By your words and actions, open their eyes to the presence of God.