Spiritual Blindness

Often, I see but do not understand; I hear but I do not listen. I am blinded by scales in my eyes. The scales of my pride and prejudices, of my weakness and sinfulness, of my biases and banality. I see God active in my life but I fail to understand. I hear Him in the rustle of the wind or in the voices of people around me or in the mysterious unfolding of my life but I do not hear. I need to shed tears of love, mercy and compassion to wash away the scales from my eyes so that I can see again.

Christ was right there before the Pharisees and they saw the wonders He did and heard the words that He spoke. But they did not listen nor did they understand. Instead, they kept on questioning Him: why do you and your followers do work on the sabbath? why do you consort with the publicans and the sinners? why do you heal on the Sabbath?

Lord, give me a heart of flesh and wash away the scales from my eyes with my tears of sorrow and repentance that I may see you and understand, hear you and truly listen.

Jesus entered the synagogue.
There was a man there who had a withered hand.
They watched Jesus closely
to see if he would cure him on the sabbath
so that they might accuse him.
He said to the man with the withered hand,
“Come up here before us.”
Then he said to the Pharisees,
“Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?”
But they remained silent.
Looking around at them with anger
and grieved at their hardness of heart,
Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”
He stretched it out and his hand was restored.
The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel
with the Herodians against him to put him to death.
Mark 3:1-6