Moved With Compassion

December 2nd, 2023

Scripture

29 As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 There were two blind men sitting by the roadside. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, ‘Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!’ 31 The crowd sternly ordered them to be quiet; but they shouted even more loudly, ‘Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!’ 32 Jesus stood still and called them, saying, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ 33 They said to him, ‘Lord, let our eyes be opened.’ 34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they regained their sight and followed him.

--Matthew 20:29-34 NRSV

Moved with Compassion

When Jesus began his earthly ministry in the synagogue in Nazareth, he read from the scroll of Isaiah and stated that, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor…to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and to let the oppressed go free.” The stories of Jesus’ healing are often like the two blind men in todays reading.  They are people who call out to that anointing like the woman with the issue of blood, Zacchaeus, and the centurion and his servant.  Jesus responds with compassion and out of that compassion flows his anointing and healing to both men.  He did not determine whose need was greatest but met the need of both.

We are living in a time of great need.  The sick, the brokenhearted, and the captive are crying out.  We can be overwhelmed until we realize that it is Jesus who meets the needs.  We are called to prayer and intercession for His healing power.  That healing anointing is powerful enough to meet the needs of the world but also our own needs.  He cares about our families and friends who are hurting as well as those in the world.  It is not selfish to ask for healing for those we love and for ourselves while we pray for those who are hurting in the middle east, Ukraine, the Sudan, and our nation. 

We ask for His compassion to flow through us as we pray.  We cry out like the two blind men for his anointing to meet the needs of the brokenhearted, the captives, the blind and sick, and the oppressed.

The Rev. Dr. Gloria Walters

Vicar of St. Luke’s Idabel, St. Mark’s Hugo, and Supply Priest for St. James’ Antlers