Sunday, July 19
MATTHEW 9 When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”28 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.” 31 But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.32 As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed. 33 And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel!”34 But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.”35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
They are not healed along the route, as they might expect, but only after he reached his house. They approach him and go inside. First, their faith is discussed that they may receive the light of true faith. Another sign is added to the first sign we mentioned about the ruler’s daughter and the woman with a hemorrhage, so that what death and disability demonstrated in the one case, blindness demonstrated in the other. Both men were blind at the time the Lord was passing through this world on the way to his house. Unless they had exclaimed “Have pity on us, Son of David!” and in answer to Jesus’ question “Do you believe that I can do this to you?” affirmed “Yes, Lord,” they would not have received the pristine light.
(St. Jerome)