Homily 671 – 32 APE
Holy Transfiguration, Ames, Iowa
January 18, 2026
Epistle:  (280-ctr) 1 Timothy 1:15-17
Gospel:  (93) Luke 18:35-43

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone accuse someone of being blind.  Well, those who know I’m a baseball fan, or a hockey fan, may know.

More times than I can count, frankly.  Now we know that in this context, the context of being a sports official, being blind isn’t a physical thing.  They can obviously see.

The allegation is that they choose not to see.  That is the point I want to talk about today.

In this brief Gospel passage, we see the blind man, beside the road, begging.  He, although blind, has a more enhanced sense of hearing and presence.  He hears a crowd approaching, and learns it is Jesus.

He apparently has heard the name – and understands that this is the man who is the Messiah, the son of David.  Just the use of that name, Jesus, son of David, is a radical statement of faith from the blind man.

Even today, many would consider that a radical statement.  After all, we live in a time where our neighbors are “spiritual but not religious” and believe Jesus was a good teacher and example, but proclaiming Him as Messiah and Savior is a bit too much for our enlightened times and superior intellect.

I’m being facetious of course.  It is only arrogance that allows us to believe we are superior to the people in the time of Christ, or superior to anyone.  Ever.

What the man encounters is familiar to us, perhaps.  The world, our society, tried to silence us.  It tells us to keep quiet.  It pats us on the head and tells us that we’ll learn soon how foolish we are.

Like the blind man, we were – we are – driven.  There is something that we need, that we don’t have.  Obviously to the world it is clear – we need sight.

What we know that the world doesn’t know is that although we recognize our blindness, there is more.  We just know it.

Because we know we are blind.  We know our other senses are heightened and we see it, we feel it.

The world doesn’t see those things.  It is an illusion, of course.  The world, our society, our friends and neighbors, believe they see everything, and see it clearly.  But like those sports officials mentioned at the start, they refuse to see.  They – these people just like us, that we know and sometimes love – they refuse to see what we see clearly.

Jesus tells us, just like the blind man, He says, “What do you want me to do?”

Are you ready for life to change?

Because think about it – this blind man’s life was spent on the side of the road, begging.  His physical blindness was indeed his meal ticket.  It is all he knew.  Once his physical sight was restored – his world changed.

He would not have a meal ticket.  He would need to provide for himself.  No longer an object of charity.

That was the physical change – what about the spiritual change?  Because honestly, that is the impact we experience.  Our eyes, the Greek word is nous, the ability we have to see and connect with God, are blinded.  Blinded by our ego, our will – what the Church Fathers call our “pride.”

So Christ asks us, too:  “what do you want Me to do for you?”

Don’t miss where the man is sitting.  He is on the road to Jericho.  This is important – Jericho is the promised land.  The first spot where the People of God had a home on this earth.

He was on the path – almost there – and yet, sat by the side of the road, stalled.  Grounded.  Unable to continue.

Christ asks, “what do you want Me to do for you?”  The choice is ours.  Are we happy where we are?  Are we content with the pursuit of this world?

I think that may be the thing I see most frequently in today’s world that causes me pain.  I may be a warped observer, but it seems that people believe happiness comes from being right.  We can’t be happy unless we are right.  Not only that but the other side has to be wrong.

And does that really make us happy?  Are we at peace?  Are we content with our lives?  Society says sure, absolutely.  As long as we are right – or at least you are wrong.

Jesus asks us a completely different question.  It isn’t about right or wrong.  It isn’t about this statement or that dogma.  It is about Truth.

What Jesus really asks when He asks what do you want me to do for you is this:  Are you willing to alter every single thing you believe?  Are you willing to pull up that stake, that boundary marker, that supports every belief you have had and continue to have?

Because if you want Christ to allow you to see, you will then see the Truth.  And that truth, brothers and sisters, will likely be completely different than the world you have experienced thus far.

You will experience disorientation.  Everything you thought you knew about life, about the world, will change.  The foundations on which everything has been built will be shown for what it is – blowing sand.

If you are willing, if you are brave, if you have faith that the way you will be shown is better and more glorious than anything ever experienced, then Christ stands ready to begin the process of healing us.

What we will then see is Truth.  Christ.  We will be illumined.  We will be overwhelmed.  We won’t understand.  At that point – we can only have faith.  We can only have trust.

But we will see Christ.

So what do you want Christ to do?

Lord, that I may see.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God.  Glory to Jesus Christ!