There is a certain irony in that the man who is blind sees Jesus better than those who are following Him with full sight. For, if the crowds had truly recognized who it was they were following, they would not have rebuked the blind man as much as joined their pleas with his.

Sometimes it can happen that on our journey with the Lord things can get a little distorted or clouded, and our vision of Him is not as clear as it once was. St. Josemaria Escriva puts it beautifully, he says: “perhaps the dust we stir up as we walk…forms an opaque cloud that cuts off the light from above.” The blind man today, however, shows us what is necessary to restore our sight, that true vision once again.

To fall before the Lord in humility and confidence and to plead with Him that we may see, that our original vision of who He is and what He is capable of may return. And, we do so, as with anything, with strong, unceasing prayer, dedication and strength to pray always, everywhere, during our greatest times and our worst, especially our worst.

St. Gregory the Great explains it well, he says: “The man whom the crowd wanted to silence raises his voice more and more. This is a model for us, he says, the greater our interior confusion, the more our difficulties on the way, so much stronger should our prayer become.”

For, in the end, that is what it really comes down to, prayer, because if we abandon that, when unable to see, the darkness will only grow and we will not walk in faith, but be led where no light can be seen.

It is St. Josemaria Escriva who says it best, and with whose wisdom I would like to leave you with today: “When darkness surrounds us and our soul is blind and restless, we have to go to the Light, like Bartimaeus. Repeat, shout, cry out ever more strongly… Lord that I may see. And daylight will dawn upon you, and you will be able to enjoy the brightness He grants you.”