Lord Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” (Lk. 18:38). We can all cry out like the blind man at the Gate of Jericho, struggling perhaps to forgive a deep hurt, unable to let go of the pain, feeling blind and helpless.  We know that our efforts alone are futile to heal our innermost anguish, and with the blind man, we call out to our only Hope.

But as the blind man cries out, “the people who were going along with Jesus told the man to be quiet.” (Lk. 18:39)

Christ has better things to do, the voices tell us.  He has more important people to help, bigger problems to handle.  We should be able to solve this ourselves.  Just forgive and move on.  Why sit here languishing all these years?  Get over it, already.

But the blind man knows not to listen to these voices.

“He shouted even louder, ‘Son of David, have pity on me!’” (Lk. 18:39)

He knows his healing is only possible through Christ’s Divine mercy.  He cries out in desperate hope with the last strength of his soul.

And then, the miracle begins.

“Jesus stopped and told some people to bring the blind man over to him.  When the blind man was getting near, Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see!” he answered.  (Lk. 18:41)

Lord, I want to let go of this terrible pain.  I want to forgive.  I want to see the person who hurt me as You do, but blindness covers my heart and eyes.  I cannot see past my pain.  The hurt is too engulfing.

Jesus replies, “Look and you will see!  Your eyes are healed because of your faith.”  (Lk. 18:42)

This opening of our heart – this encounter with Christ, our healing at the gate of Jericho – takes place in the confessional.  When you cannot let go of a profound hurt, you must do the paradoxical thing.  You must admit the rejection that has so deeply hurt you, and bring it, in all its humiliation, to Jesus to heal.

The paradox of pain is that it cannot be healed by pushing it away, running from the hurt, or rationalizing the rejection.  We must go toward the hurt, go closer to it, acknowledge it, to be healed of the wound we carry inside.

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