Of all the stories in the New Testament, the most prominent perhaps are stories about the healing of the blind (cf. Mk 10:46-52; 8:22-26; Jn 9:1-41). The irony of the story in today’s gospel is that, on a spiritual level, the two blind men have no need of healing. They approach Jesus with the clear vision of faith. Despite their physical blindness, they clearly understand and accept that Jesus has the power to heal them. They demonstrate their belief with a positive answer to his question, do you believe that I can do this. In healing them, Jesus affirms their steadfast faith and the clarity of their spiritual understanding.
This story underscores the need for light in both a physical and a spiritual sense. Jesus highlights this dual role in his teaching that “the lamp of the body is the eye. It follows that if your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be” (Matthew 6:22-23). Notice the connection that Jesus makes between light and the ability to see in both the physical and spiritual sense. Scripture reveals three ways light functions in this dual sense.
The first role is the physical function of light found in the creation story. On the first day of creation when the earth was covered with darkness, God created light that he called day, while he called the darkness night (1:1-5). On the fourth day, God created the sun to illuminate the day and the moon and stars to illuminate the night (1:14-17). In this scenario, God is not the light. Rather, the light is merely a manifestation of His presence (Ps 4:6).
The second role is the spiritual light of Christ we need for eternal life. Jesus reveals this role for himself in his claim that he is “…the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (Jn 8-12). With this claim, Jesus declares himself to be spiritual light for the world. Jesus is the light that gives life, for in the beginning all things were created through him, including life itself. This life is light for everyone, and it “shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (Jn 1:1-5).
The significant role for light in this spiritual sense motivates Jesus to tell his disciples, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light” (Mt 11:35–36).
To be a child of light is the third role that scripture defines for light. The children of light are the followers of Jesus. The followers of Jesus are light for the world and salt for the earth. Jesus makes this clear when he says to his followers: “You are the light of the world; do not hide your light under a bushel basket. Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father” (Mt 5:13-16).
In the words of St. Paul, God created us in Christ Jesus for good works. Doing good for others out of love is the sure path to eternal life (Ep 2:10). The challenge is to see others with the eyes of faith rather than with physical eyes alone. However difficult, loving others with the eyes of faith is the only way to be children of light.
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