You are blessed who are reading this page now. Like most people (but not all) you are able to see. You have the wonderful gift of eyes through which you learn, about the whole world, about ideas and thoughts, about the visual beauty of shapes and colours and shadows. You are able to learn and understand so much through those eyes. But have you ever really thought what it must be like not to be able to see? To have to rely on other people even to move around?

Most of us take for granted the marvels of sight and hearing and touch and taste and smell, our ordinary senses. And sometimes we can be very insensitive towards people who lack one or other of those gifts. Reading today's gospel, can you imagine the curiosity of that blind beggar of Jericho, wanting to know what was happening around him? Can you imagine his feelings in calling out to Jesus to have pity on him, and then being criticized by people and told to keep quiet? His feelings when asked by Jesus Himself, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind beggar knew exactly what he desired: "Lord, please let me see."

Jesus gave the man his sight, because he believed. What a huge revelation, an absolute surprise it must have been for him to be able to see. Giving glory to God was his gratitude and appreciation. We sighted people should surely also give glory to God in wonder at His gifts, and in faith still call out: