WE WANT TO SEE!!!!!!

Two men who live in a world of darkness.  Perhaps they sit together each day to beg.  They have bonded in their common need - blindness.  Do they comfort one another?  Do they share stories to pass the time?  Are they friends?  Do they pool their meager resources to end their day with a meal?  

They're fortunate to live in a warm climate where they have found a place that is reasonably safe to sleep and bathe occasionally.  No one looks at them.  They are invisible.  Passersby occasionally drop a few pennies into their cups.  No one is really generous with them.  Their presence along the heavily travelled road is a dirge.  People grow aggravated at their persistent calls for money.  

They produce feelings of guilt that plague the people.  Why can't they sit somewhere else?  Why don't the rulers do something about this pair?  

No one knows their stories.  Did they once see?  Why has their family abandoned them?  Their situation is hopeless!  No one really cares about them.  No one assigns any dignity to them.  Those who drop coins in their cup usually do so with disdain and not compassion.  Their constant crying out is annoying.  

But when you sit in a busy thoroughfare, you hear things.  These two blind men pick up tidbits of news and gossip throughout their day.  They are blind, but not deaf!  

What does one think about when you sit by the roadside day after day?  Ah, they think about miracles.  Perhaps today will be the day that someone will be gracious to them.  Perhaps today someone will be overtly generous with them.  Maybe this will be the day that they will be taken in and cared for.  Perhaps - but not likely.  It is the dream of hopelessness...

However, they have heard a name.  They've heard it repeatedly.  People speak of this name with excitement, amazement and wonder.  The name?  Jesus.  At first - when they heard His name - they were hopeful.  But then, they heard that He was from Nazareth.  The age-old saying lept to their minds:  "Can anything good come from Nazareth?"  At first, they were disheartened.  But the stories about Him persisted.  Every day they heard of things He had done and people He had healed.  

When you live in a hopeless world, a dream is all you have.  Perhaps some day He will pass by on this busy way?  They've envisioned it a thousand times.  A kind man who stops to talk with them.  A compassionate man who cares.  An exception to the crowds who pass them by over and over.  

But their dreams are always interrupted by the rudeness of those who mock them.   Rough and rude men spit on them and toy with them by dropping stones into their cups or kicking dust in their faces.  How does one continue to live when despair rules the day - every day?  Something as simple as a cup of cold water would be such a blessing!  But not today.  Not ever.

Then, one day the traffic seems heavier.  There's excitement in the air.  People jostle and talk expectantly.  Children are part of the crowd today!  The men hear tidbits as the crowd grows thick and loud.  The road from Jericho to Jerusalem is far busier today than any other day.  Perhaps their cups will be filled today?  

That's when it happened.  The two homeless companions heard the name 'Jesus'.  Hope arose!  They struggled to get to their feet, only to be pushed down by the jostling crowd.  The crowd noise was becoming very loud.  

Realizing that this Jesus was nearby they began to cry out His name!  "Jesus!  Lord, have mercy on us!  Son of David!"  Though treated badly and hushed by the crowd, they persisted with as much volume as they could muster.  "Jesus!  Lord, have mercy on us!  Son of David!  Help us!" 

They would NOT be hushed!  All the good things they had overheard for months unleashed an urgency that would not be contained!

HE HEARD THEM!  He immediately came to where they sat!  He took them aside - probably protected by His disciples who kept the crowd at bay.  He spoke!  "What is it that you want, brothers?"  

Without hesitation and in perfect unison they responded: "LORD, WE WANT TO SEE."  

Though they didn't see it - He smiled!  He put His arms around these two men in an embrace of genuine caring.  Then, He touched their eyes - AND IMMEDIATELY THEY COULD SEE!  

Can you imagine their joy?  Did they dance?  Did they hug Him?  Did they look at each other in wonder?  Did these two long-time friends embrace for the first time as they saw the face that had only existed in their imaginations?  Did the apostles get in on the joy?  

After a brief interlude of joy with Jesus and expressions of gratitude, the callings of the crowd necessitated Jesus moving on.  

The two men stood, realizing that their lives had been instantly changed!  They SAW Jesus and His disciples merging into the crowd and on toward Jerusalem.  With nothing holding them in Jericho - THEY FOLLOWED HIM!  

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Jesus,

The One who hears the cry of the desperate!  The One who can make a difference in any life that cries out of pain, loss or confusion.  

Thank You for hearing our cries of desperation!  Thank You for being attentive to our needs!  Thank You for responding with just what we need!

Your love and compassion makes us want to follow You!  

Amen.