Catholic Men’s Daily Devotional and Bible Study – 1st Week of Advent – Friday – Matthew 9:27-31

The Gospel reading from the Mass for Friday for the 1st Week of Advent is Matthew 9:27-31. 

Following the summary of His Gospel in the comprehensive Sermon on the Mount, Christ descended from the mountain and began to teach and heal.  After raising a young girl from the dead and healing a women with a hemorrhage, Christ encounters two blind men as He passes by. Being blind was particularly difficult in those days for the blind had little option but to beg for alms (meaning, “pity or mercy”), monies given by Jews to their poor and destitute. 

The blind men cry out to Jesus for mercy, calling Him the Son of David, a reference to the long-awaited Messiah.  Christ passes them without a word and enters a house.  Persistent, the blind men follow Christ into the house. Christ, knowing the men are seeking to be miraculously healed and not asking for money, first tests the men’s faith, asking, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”  Confirming their belief that He is the Messiah, they say “Yes, Lord.” Christ simply touches their eyes and they gain sight; He credits the gift of healing to the blind men’s faith.  

Christ sternly instructs the men not to reveal that He has healed them, knowing many mistakenly believed that the Messiah would be a political leader who will overthrow the Roman occupation; Christ seeks to avoid confrontation for the time being. Defying Christ’s order, the men are so moved by their miraculous healing, they can’t help but speak about this supernatural miracle that has radically changed their lives. The men’s testimony about their miraculous healing by Christ spreads throughout the area. 

Awed by Jesus Christ – Son of David, Christ is the long-awaited Messiah who comes to establish a new kingdom. Son of God, Christ reads men’s hearts and inner thoughts, discerning their true faith and worthiness to receive miracles.  Divine Physician, Christ has the power to miraculously gives sight to the blind by a simple touch of His hand. 

Being a Heroic Catholic Man

1) Despite the advances of technology, most types of blindness remains incurable. Marvel at Christ’s absolute power to fix broken eyes with a simple touch of His hand.  

2) There is great darkness in the world which blind men and lead them into the dark habits of vice: pride, lust, gluttony, sloth, wrath, envy and greed. During Advent, resolve to Turn Away from Darkness (CCC 1866, 457, 588, 1691, 1707) and pray for Christ to help open your eyes to the darkness of vice in your life and to give you the strength to pursue virtue. 

3) Advent is a time of mysterious power in the Church as the Body of Christ anticipates the  Truth Himself coming into a world desperately lost in the darkness of sin. During Advent, reflect upon Living in the Truth of Christ (CCC 2465-2470) and pray for Christ to help you desire the light of Truth and live in imitation of Him.