We now have our sight set upon going up to Jerusalem. It will be here, in Jerusalem, where we will come to encounter the cross of our Lord on Good Friday. This forty day journey that will soon unfold leading us towards the crucifixion will be difficult at times, but we must endure through this difficulty to better be able to enjoy the joys of Christ's Resurrection. We all know that when life becomes difficult that the easiest path that we can take is not the one leading forward, but instead is the one that leads backwards into those areas of our life where we encounter comfortability. This path of comfortability will never lead us to encounter Christ for who He truly is, but instead we must trudge forward upon that path that we find most difficult because it will only be here where we will come to encounter true joy.
The Lenten season is about helping us to encounter the true joy of Christ's Resurrection unimpeded by all that has left us blind to these most sacred realities. In our Gospel the apostles were given this glimpse into His final days upon this earth and thus too the events that would unfold in Jerusalem. Despite this most wondrous exhortation they still did not fully grasp with faith what it was that would come to unfold for the Savior of the World at Jerusalem. Even in this Gospel we can see that this is so because they desired to keep this blind man at a distance instead of allowing Him to be brought into Christ's midst. If they would of understood the healing nature that was to be brought forth from the cross they would of not excluded this man from it, but instead they would of emulated him when their own desire to be healed by Christ.
The fact that this man is found blind is of great importance because it represents the very fact that sin leaves us blind. Through the reality of sin we are unable to behold Christ for who He truly is. Especially when we have been stained by the reality of mortal sin our own eyes have become closed to the point were we have completely cut off our relationship with God. Despite the reality that he had been left blind by his sin he cried out, thus also doing great penance: "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me." No matter how much he was rebuked by the world he only cried out the louder: "Son of David, have mercy on me." It was from this unending faith that he was healed. He did not allow himself to be led down the path of comfortability, but instead he endured the path that was found most difficult and led him to embrace the events that took place in Jerusalem. It was from this path that he endured in doing penance and was eventually healed to the point were he was finally able to behold Christ and to thus be healed from his sin.
As we enter into the Lenten season may we allow ourself to emulate this blind man who was found in our Gospel. Let us not journey into Jerusalem unprepared, but instead may we set our sight entirely upon the cross and allow it be the instrument that heals us. During the season of Lent we are asked to fast, to abstain from meat on Fridays, to pray, to give alms, and to do penance. These gestures are not done without purpose, but are done in order that we may grow closer to Christ and thus to be healed by all that has left us burdened under the weight of sin. Throughout the course of Lent we will be tempted to return to the comfortability of our old life, but we must silence this voice as the blind man did when he only cried out the louder from the crowd who wished to silence him.
And so my brothers and sisters in Christ may we now set our sight upon Jerusalem. It will be here where the Savior of the world will offer Himself up in atonement for our sin. Throughout the course of this forty day period that now lies ahead may we resolve to stand with Him as He bares the weight of the wood of the cross instead of so easily running back to the comfortability that is found when we reject this cross. Let us fast in order that we may begin to properly orient our life back towards Christ, let us give alms to the poor in order that we may let go of our wordily attachment, let us pray in order that we may always keep Christ at life's center, and let us do penance in order that we may truly return to His abundant mercy. Throughout the course of this Lenten season and all the temptations that lay ahead may we be like the blind man who did not run away, but instead only cried out the louder: "Son of David, have mercy on me."
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