Touch of Grace
/Scripture
As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, crying loudly, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you.” And their eyes were opened. (Matthew 9:27-30 NRSV)
Touch of Grace
His handshake was gentler than his normal bear-like grip. A grandfather holds the tiny fingers of his infant grandson. A friend holds a hug longer in a moment of sorrowful comfort. A younger woman holds the arm of an elder, steadying her balance.
These are just a few impressions from last week that couldn’t happen on Zoom. We need touch in our relationships. Support, kindness, love, insight all are available when we are close enough to touch or be touched.
Another strong impression for me last week was Jesus’ touching the faces of two blind men. They’d pursued him down the street crying for his mercy and ended up in his living room. What an experience. Two insistent men feel the hands of God on each of their faces. And then they are looking in the face of God who is less than an arm’s length from them.
You can’t do that on Zoom, or from a world outside time and space – God had to enter time in Jesus and did it slowly and humbly. The infant became the man who touched the faces of the blind men – God in flesh, touching flesh and giving sight.
This season is about touch and having the capacity for seeing what only eyes of faith can see. We become more open to wonder and grace when the eyes of faith are opened freshly.
A Prayer for Today
O God, forgive our materialistic view of the universe. Have mercy on us and touch our eyes to see moments of grace. Heal our narrow vision so we can see the need for us to offer touch and care for those in need you bring our way. Let us live life with courage in close enough proximity to one another that we can touch and be touched …. For Jesus’ sake
