Sunday, January 23, 2005 Tone 1
Hieromartyr Clement, Bishop of Ancyra
3rd Vespers Holy Monastic: Wisdom 4:7-15 Epistle: 1 Timothy 1:15-17 Gospel: St. Luke 18:35-43
St. Luke 18:35-43, especially vs. 42: "And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath
saved thee." St. Ephrem, reflecting on the Lord's healing of the blind man at Jericho, observed that "Light came into the
world to give sight to the blind and faith to those who lacked it." St. Luke's account of a blind man who cried out to the
Lord illustrates the ways in which the Lord constantly is creating faith and saving men and women thereby. The passage
provides a concrete illustration of the Apostle Paul's declaration that the Lord is "the author and finisher of our faith" (Heb.
12:2).
The Evangelist begins by revealing how Christ initially "authors" faith in human hearts. First, He creates a climate
conducive to faith and trust in Himself. Then, He calls those in need to respond to Him in faith. The passage also shows
how the Lord brings faith to a finished state, by giving those who come to Him tangible opportunities to express their faith
directly. His grace always is active, working in advance of men's faith. Also, the Lord Jesus' grace actively creates faith
within, so that one may respond to Him and thus be saved. The encounter of the Lord and the blind beggar at Jericho holds
up the dual truth: that "by grace you have been saved..." and that salvation comes "through faith," that is, when faith is
exercised (see Eph. 2:8). This Gospel reading shows how salvation is synergistic, a cooperation between man and God.
St. Luke records that the blind man heard a multitude passing and asked "what it meant" (vs. 36). He was told "that Jesus
of Nazareth was passing by" (vs. 37). His reaction was instantaneous: he immediately cried out to the Lord (vs. 38). Why
did he do so? The obvious answer is that the Lord's fame and notoriety as a healer were well known by this point in time -
especially to a blind man. The Lord Jesus had been preaching to the poor and healing various diseases (Lk. 4:40), including
the giving of sight to many blind persons (Lk. 7:21). His evident care for those in need, coupled with His well-documented
capacity to help people, was drawing huge crowds (Lk. 8:19). The beggar knew about Jesus, for the Lord had created an
extraordinary climate of faith. He was feeding crowds of 5,000 or more (Lk. 9:12-17) and even giving life to the dead (Lk.
7:11-18). All around us today He continues to heal miraculously. And we hear the Gospels read to us with one account
after another providing reasons for faith; and despite a dry climate of doubt and scoffing, the wonders of God continue in
and through His Church. Truly, Christ our God not only responds to faith, but is creating it on every side in our own day.
Next, notice that when the blind man cried out irrepressibly, the Lord called him to Himself (Lk. 18:38-40). The Lord
Jesus creates faith by calling those to Him who wish to have Him act in their lives. His parable of the importunate widow
tells of a woman who drove a judge to distraction until he gave her vengeance. By such illustrations, the Lord encourages
appeal to God (Lk. 18:2-7). Pay attention to the behavior of the blind beggar, for we ourselves are blind beggars. We can
cry out to the Lord from our darkness with faith, and He will hear us and call us to Himself. Let us ignore the voices
around us that ask, "What is the use?", or the voices that warn us, "You are not important enough!", or that query, "If God
exists, will He reverse or change this situation?" The Creator of faith does not abandon us in dark doubt. Cry out!
Finally, when the blind man stood before Him, Christ gave him an opportunity to exercise faith for himself. He asked him,
"What do you want Me to do for you?" (Lk. 18:41). Do you think the Lord did not know what the blind man wanted? St.
Cyril chides us, "Was his request then unknown to Him?" No! The Creator of faith also lets us venture in faith.
O Christ, Creator of all things, grant us the grace of faith always to cry out unto Thee.
