December 3, 2021

First Friday Mass

1. The Gospel today presents to us the encounter of Jesus with two blind men. In this
encounter, we can see ourselves and our desire to be “healed”. We may not be
physically blind, but we too are afflicted with a spiritual malady that makes us blind from
seeing the light of goodness – that spiritual malady is called SIN.
2. It is an undeniable fact that all of us are sinners. And in the scripture, our sinful condition
in relation to God is oftentimes depicted by a disease called blindness. A person who
commits sin is also like a blind person because he was not able to see the LIGHT of
goodness. The reason why a person commits sin is because the eyes of his heart were
not able to see what is right and good. A sinful man in this sense is someone who lives
in darkness.
3. The blind men represent us also, in so far as we are all sinners. Every time that we sin,
we also put ourselves in a state of darkness because we are not enlightened by God’s
light of goodness. Our inner darkness makes it impossible for us to see what is good and
right.
4. However, despite the fact that all of us are sinful, most of us are afflicted with the
blindness of RECOGNIZING THAT WE ARE SINFUL – madalas, ay nasa state of denial
tayo. Ayaw natin tanggapin na may kasalanan tayo. Madalas din naman ay ayaw nating
tanggapin ang mga mistakes at kamaliang nagawa natin sa ating buhay. We are also
blind NOT ONLY in the sense that we do not clearly see what is good and right BUT
ALSO BECAUSE we fail to see our own sinfulness.
5. In the Gospel, the two blind men called out to Jesus because they recognized their own
blindness. And in recognizing their blindness, they also acknowledged their need for
healing.
6. Naturally, a person who denies that he is sick will never go and see a doctor. In the
same way, a person who thinks that he HAS NOT DONE A MISTAKE or is not sinful, will
not go and SEEK FOR THE HEALING OF FORGIVENESS. Our healing from the
malady of SIN begins with a journey inside ourselves – it begins with a careful
examination of our conscience AND THE HUMILITY to admit our SINFULNESS and
WEAKNESS.
7. Kadalasan, kapag tayo ay nahuling may ginawang kasalanan, pilit pa din nating
pinagtatakpan ang kasalanang nagawa natin. Kaya, ang madalas na ginagawa natin ay
nagdadahilan tayo upang ijustify ang maling nagawa natin. Instead of saying “I am
sorry”, or “Please forgive me”, we would rather look for reasons so as to cover whatever
sin we have committed.
8. It is in this sense that we can learn from the two blind men’s attitude in our Gospel today.
Instead of denying their malady, they rather went out of themselves in order to reach out
to Jesus to seek his mercy. Their words are very moving. They said, “Have mercy on us,
Son of David.”
9. The season of advent affords us with a wonderful opportunity for self-reflection. Look
into your heart of hearts, into your inner selves where you cannot deny anything, where
you cannot hide anything from GOD. Healing can happen to our lives if we recognize our
own maladies – if we humbly acknowledge our sins and if we courageously face the
consequences of the things we have done. It is only then that we can also sincerely say
to the Lord Jesus, “Have mercy on us, Lord, for we have sinned against you.”
10. Dear students, education is also a kind of healing. Education heals us of the blindness of
ignorance. It also heals us of the darkness of arrogance – kayabangang walang
katuturan. Sa pamamagitan ng ating pag-aaral, unti-unting nagkakaroon ng liwanag ang
ating buhay. Yan ay salamat sa mga kaalamang natutunan natin, sa mga experinces na
nararanasan natin habang nag-aaal at higit sa lahat, sa pananampalatayang
umuusbong dahil sa ating prayer life.
11. That is why, avoid the arrogance that makes you think you are better than your teachers.
Avoid making alibis when you are corrected because of your negligence. If you want to
be healed from your blindness, begin by recognizing that you are blind. Only then can
you start to journey towards the light.
12. “According to your faith, let it be done to you”. Faith is not a convenient trusting. Faith is
borne from a vigorous effort and the perseverance to be renewed and transformed by
God’s mercy and love. In this first Friday of the month, may we have the humility to face
our darkness and the courage to allow God to transform us according to His own will.