Do You Believe? The Core Question of Advent
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
Matthew 9:27-31
As Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying out, “Son of David, have pity on us!” When he entered the house, the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they said to him. Then he touched their eyes and said, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” And their eyes were opened. Jesus sternly ordered them, “See that no one knows about this.” But they went out and spread word of him through all that land.
Grace Prayed For
The grace to have unwavering, courageous faith in Christ’s power to heal my own spiritual blindness and the grace to become a vigilant and joyful witness to His coming.
Reflection
In this quiet yet stunning moment, Jesus asks two blind men the most fundamental question of our Advent journey: “Do you believe that I can do this?” He’s not just asking if they believe He can restore their physical sight; He’s asking if they recognize Him as the Son of David—the Messiah, the one through whom all things are possible.
This Advent, as we embrace the themes of Vigilance and Hope, these words pierce our hearts. Our blindness isn’t always physical; often, it’s a spiritual myopia that keeps us from recognizing the Lord’s presence in our daily lives, or a paralysis of fear that keeps us from seeing the Hope He offers the world. We pray for the grace to recognize and prepare His way, but Jesus shows us that preparation is rooted in belief. When we declare, “Yes, Lord,” and approach Him with the absolute conviction of the blind men, He touches our eyes.
His touch is the Trinitarian love—the Father’s plan, the Son’s sacrifice, and the Spirit’s power—that dissolves our spiritual darkness. Our mission to witness courageously begins inside us, with this moment of being profoundly seen and healed by Christ. Once our eyes are truly open to His love, we cannot but share the light. The blind men, despite Jesus’ stern warning, “went out and spread word of him.” They couldn’t contain the joy of their sight! They demonstrate the necessity of our joining the mission: when Jesus impacts our lives—when He heals our blindness to sin, despair, or self-doubt—our natural response is a joyful, hopeful witness that prepares the way for Him in every heart we encounter.
Daily Evangelization and Baptismal Mission
The themes of vigilance, preparation, and rejoicing are all present in this passage. We see the blind men vigilantly crying out to the Lord, preparing themselves through their clear statement of faith, and rejoicing by immediately proclaiming the good news.
In Conversation: Be vigilant for the burdens and joys in the lives of those you meet. Listen deeply. When someone expresses a struggle, pray silently for them and offer a word of hope or encouragement that points to a power greater than their own struggle (e.g., “I will pray that you find the strength you need,” or “Don’t lose heart, things can change”).
When Time Allows Reflect on the Posts in Library and Musings
Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post