‘Lord, I believe’

When I was in primary school, I remember that for religious lessons we were often handed out the small red catechism and told to learn a number of questions and answers. Then we would be tested on them. It was hoped that in this way we would come to know our Catholic Faith. To be fair, this was not the only way RE (religious education) was taught. We had one teacher who was very creative, and in his lessons we did get a deeper understanding of the Mass.

Knowledge of the faith is important. And for me, this was coupled with being part of the local parish. The church was right next to our primary school and as a family we went every week to Mass. What happened at home; the encouragement and belief of my parents; belonging to a local Catholic community; being part of parish life and going to a Catholic school — all helped me to grow in faith.

My life of faith began the moment I was born and baptised. This Faith was more than just knowing about Jesus, it meant coming to know Jesus personally. This happened at home, at school and through belonging to a Catholic community, as well as by developing a life of prayer.

I was reflecting on this growing-in-faith while reading this Sunday’s Gospel of the man born blind. He slowly came to know who it was that had healed him, that gave him his sight. At the beginning, when asked who gave him sight, he talked about the man, Jesus. When he was interrogated by the scribes and Pharisees the first time, and they asked him, ‘What have you to say about him yourself, now he has opened your eyes?’ The man replied: ‘He is a prophet.’

After cross-examining the parents they sent for the man again, telling him that Jesus was a sinner. The man who had been cured became emboldened. He faced his interrogators, saying, ‘Ever since the world began it is unheard of for anyone to open the eyes of a man who was born blind; if this man were not from God, he couldn’t do a thing.’ The Pharisees were furious with him and drove him away. When Jesus heard he had be treated in this way he sought him out.

Jesus asked him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied ‘tell me who he is so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said, ‘You are looking at him; he is speaking to you.’ The man said, ‘Lord, I believe’, and worshipped him. Not only was he able to see physically but he saw Jesus with the eyes of faith. He had come to know Jesus.

We pray again this Sunday for those who are to be baptised at Easter. We ask that they pass from darkness to light so they may live always as children of the light. Let us pray for each other, that the eyes of our hearts be opened, asking that Jesus may heal any blindness that we may have, so that we may come to know and see Jesus as he really is.