From Self-Loathing to AcceptanceSample

As they walked outside the village. Jesus continued the miracle of healing that had begun from the moment he walked with the blind man. At that time, putting saliva in the eyes had certain healing implications for men, but Jesus did much more; after walking together, the blind man gently felt the hands of the healer where his greatest visible limitation was. As Jesus touched what others used to accuse, this resonated with him deeply and touched his heart: beyond all, you are precious to me.

I imagine that before, in the middle of the village when the blind man did not even dare to speak and felt worthless, if he had been asked, "Do you see anything?" he might have just answered, "Yes, Jesus, I see, thank you for healing me," and slipped away quickly. But now he could say, "I see, but only halfway." Perhaps, he felt astonishment at the sound of his own voice. Jesus was healing every part of the blind man's humanity; he answers all our needs, even those we have resigned ourselves to tolerate without realizing it.

When we are overwhelmed by self-rejection and struggle for acceptance from others, we almost always only say what people want to hear. But Jesus wants to hear our voice, what we really feel. He is not scandalized by our emotions. One of the titles he most liked to repeat on earth was to call himself "the Son of Man." God, when he became man, decided to experience all human emotions; none of them made him act in sin, but they led him to know the pain of fallen humanity. Let us never be ashamed to present ourselves as we are before God. As we walk, let's learn to pray and tell Him what we feel, what hurts, what excites us, and what challenges us. God wants to hear our own voice. Empty repetitions don't go with Him.

God had a hard time redeeming humanity, so when He restores, He wants to do it completely. We won't understand some processes because while we ask Him to heal our sight, He is healing other parts of our being.

Let us pray: Thank you, God, for Your desire to heal me completely. Give me the humility to see what I need to change, the confidence to give it to You, and the courage to stay close to your heart during the process.