Jesus took the blind man outside the village, put spittle on his eyes, laid His hands on him, and asked: " 'Can you see anything?' The man opened his eyes and said, 'I can see people but they look like walking trees!' Then a second time Jesus laid hands on his eyes, and he saw perfectly; his sight was restored and he could see everything clearly" (Mk 8:23-25).

Is your spiritual sight clouded? Jesus may have already laid His hands on you through Baptism and Confirmation, but you still may be out of touch with reality. We Christians may be even blind to being blind — having blinded ourselves by sin (Is 29:9; 1 Jn 2:11). Like the blind man in today's Gospel reading, we need Jesus to lay hands on us a second time. We need a renewal of our Baptisms and Confirmations. We need to confess our sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Then our spiritual sight will be restored (Mk 8:25). We will "see everything clearly" and perfectly (Mk 8:25). We will more clearly see Jesus' will for us, and eventually see Him face to face in the eternal light of heaven (1 Cor 13:12). Come to Jesus a second time.

Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, July 26, 1997

Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, July 29, 1997