SEEING IS NOT BELIEVING;
RATHER, BELIEVING IS SEEING
RATHER, BELIEVING IS SEEING
Bartimaeus, in today's Gospel story, was able to see clearly as a result
of his faith.
The references to
hearing and seeing in today's readings underscore both how important these are
to human life, and the deeper, symbolic meaning of these two physical senses.
Sometimes we take them for granted, but we need to appreciate our ability to hear
and see. In a most general sense, to be open to hearing and seeing means having
a sense of awe and wonder.
The first reading
from the Book of Sirach models some of this for us. It portrays the glory of
God in the beauty of creation as signs of our heavenly Father's presence
everywhere. When we look at our universe, and life itself, as a gift, we are
acting as children whom God has created in His image, rather than as masters
evaluating and judging the whole. It brings us back to what we heard Jesus say
the other day about receiving the Kingdom like a little child. Let us ask God
to give us the gift of seeing all as a gift and taking nothing for granted.
Bartimaeus, in
today's Gospel story, was able to see clearly as a result of his faith. Seeing
is not believing; rather, believing is seeing. Bartimaeus becomes a faithful
follower of Jesus while Jesus' own disciples will be challenged to be blind at
times. This Gospel challenges not only the disciples of Jesus' time, but us
also, to see everything through the eyes of faith.
Who are the blind
and who are those who can really see and hear?