Blindness

Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves.

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If one swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.’ Blind fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘If one swears by the altar, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.’ 

You blind ones, which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it; one who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it; one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who is seated on it.” (Matthew 23:13-22)

Blind fools, blind guides, blind ones.  Are we these fools, guides, and ones? Most of us would reply in the negative; however, we would be wrong.  Most of us are blind in one way or another.  Often blindness results from our biases and prejudices.  We refuse to be open-minded and agree that those with a different perspective or opinion might be correct or at least have a point.

Many husbands and wives are blind to the other’s emotions and concerns.  They have sworn by the altar that they will love and honor each other, that the gift they give to each other is sacred.  By refusing to open their eyes to their spouse’s legitimate needs and concerns, the refuser douses the flame of the torch that sparked their marriage before God (if in a church).  Blindness has husbands and wives walk off cliffs into despair and dissolution of their marital bonds.

Fortunately, much of our blindness is caused by blindfolds.  We simply must remove them and see in front of us what made the other so special and unique in our eyes.

Deacon David Pierce