A MIRACLE OF LOVE AND CONCERN
In a sense, Anne worked
a miracle, a miracle of love and concern. You and I can work the same kind of
miracle by loving concern for all those with handicaps and those in need of any
kind of help. Any effort to help the sightless, especially the blind in spirit,
is pleasing to our God.
I believe most of
us can remember Helen Keller. I just recently read about her life, which is
fitting for today's reflection. When she was two years old a serious illness
destroyed both her sight and her hearing. Imagine not being able to see or
hear! When Helen was seven, a teacher named Anne Sullivan tackled the
apparently impossible job of making contact with Helen's mind through the sense
of touch. Anne worked out a sort of alphabet by which she spelled words on
Helen's hand. Gradually the child was able to connect words with objects. Once
started, Helen made rapid progress. Within three years she could read and write
in Braille. At the age of ten she determined to perfect her speech. At sixteen
she entered Radcliffe College from which she graduated with honors in the early
1900's. She became one of the most highly educated women of her time. Anne
Sullivan was constantly at her side until the dedicated teacher passed away in
1936.
Today's Gospel
tells us that Jesus cured a man of his blindness. Jesus did everything He could
for that blind man. Since He was God, Christ gave him his power of sight. And
in a sense that is what Anne Sullivan did. She did everything she could for
Helen Keller: she brought the light of Christ to her to help her. She made it
possible for the blind and deaf girl to get in touch with the world outside
herself. In a sense, Anne worked a miracle, a miracle of love and concern. You
and I can work the same kind of miracle by loving concern for all those with
handicaps and those in need of any kind of help. Any effort to help the
sightless, especially the blind in spirit, is pleasing to our God.
Jesus cured the
blind man so he could see and also because of his faith. But Jesus also needed
to make a point to the Pharisees who needed to open their eyes and hearts to
Jesus' teaching and come to believe in who He is - the Son of God. They said
they could see, but their sin remained because they were blind in spirit.
My friends, we who
have come to know Christ's light in our lives must ask ourselves what we can
do. We can be present and visit those who are homebound in nursing homes and
hospitals. We can call someone just to see how he or she is doing today. We can
spend quality time with our family or a friend. We can volunteer some time to
be a helping hand to persons with handicaps or problems by reading to them or
taking them to church or a park: again, for us just to be present to them.
Let us be the light
of Christ to someone!