Matthew 9:27-31 NRSVue
27As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, crying loudly, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” 28When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you have faith that I can do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith, let it be done to you.” 30And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly ordered them, “See that no one knows of this.” 31But they went away and spread the news about him through all of that district.
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Reflection on Matthew 9:27-31
Inspiration from 2025-12-05 Daily Prayer
Two blind men have followed Jesus, and they make their intentions fairly plain, even though, being blind, they must have found it hard to keep in close contact. We ourselves cannot see Jesus with our physical eyes, yet we follow him. As often seems to be the case, the men’s belief that Jesus, in his goodness, would do something worthwhile for them seems fairly clear, but Jesus gets them to spell out their trust and faith.
When we make some request ourselves, is our sense of belief equally evident?
Further reflection
Desire is important in life. Knowing what I want, and having energy to pursue it, guide me. The Lord has desires for me, too. These desires can meet as happened for the blind men. Their faith and their need brought them to Jesus. I am invited to do the same, recognising that Jesus can transform my desires to bring them into harmony with his own.
What are my deepest desires and how influential are they in living as a follower of Jesus? I pray to be in touch with Jesus’ desire for me, knowing that my blindness can get in the way.
The start of this encounter is in public. There are crowds round Jesus, and the blind men are caught up in the general emotion. They shout at Jesus using a formal title, Son of David, as though he was a powerful messianic figure dispensing health to crowds. Jesus waits until he is in the house, where he can meet the blind men in person, and question their faith.
Lord, you do not meet me as one of a multitude, but face to face, on my own, where you can test the truth of my words, free from the illusions of mass emotion.
How could these men who were blind follow Jesus if they could not see? By hearing his voice, or maybe others led them to him.