“I will lead the blind on their journey; by paths unknown I will guide them. I will turn darkness into light before them, and make crooked ways straight. These things I do for them, and I will not forsake them” (Isaiah 42:16). Are we not comforted by the graciousness and loving generosity of God? In these words of God we can put the fullness of our trust.

This metaphor of blindness is very appropriate. Are we not the blind that this passage speaks about? The paths we have so often taken out of our own pride of knowledge have not led us to the happiness that our hearts truly desire. This is because our hearts yearn for a happiness beyond what the world can offer. The narrow path to God is unknown to us in our blindness, until, by his generous grace and our openness to his Word, our eyes begin to be opened. Our blindness gradually turns toward the light and, again by his grace, we begin to respond to his constantly whispered invitation to us in the private sanctuary of our own souls. All is grace! All is grace!

We are blind because of our ignorance. It is his grace alone that turns the darkness into light. Because of the darkness of our ignorance, we do not realize that we are part of a great mystery, the mystery of the One who is Love, who exists beyond time and space, who created all things, and continues to maintain all things in each and every moment. It was this mystery of God’s graceful, infinite love that entered into the finite reality of our own existence as one of us in Jesus. It was this Love, so far beyond our understanding, that was willing to suffer and die for us, to redeem us from the slavery of sin and death, once and for all. So it is right and good for us to pray, to ask God to light the darkness of our ignorance and to give us the graces we need to rise up onto our feet to begin walking in his way this day and all those yet to come.

While, at first, we may fear letting go, and letting God, if we let ourselves trust in his love, even tentatively, he will show us the depths of his faithfulness. Indeed, he will grace us with all good things in times of trouble and loss, as well as in times of plenty and peace. He has always been faithful to us, and he promises us that he will never forsake us. And here again we bump up against the great Mystery. How can God love us who have so often been unfaithful to him, we who have forsaken him more often than we care to admit, with such intensity, such purpose, such absolute generosity? And, yet, we know that he does, because of the Incarnation and because of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, teaching us, encouraging us, inspiring us to love God in return. This is the Mystery of love out of which we were made, the Mystery that we were made to come to know. This is the Mystery of God who loves us though we are blind, who willingly and patiently takes us by the hand to guide us into the light of his truth, goodness and beauty. This is the Mystery that desires to live with us forever, in his joy, in his heavenly kingdom of light.

Lord, We are the people who lived in darkness, to whom you sent your great light in the form of the Incarnation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We have eyes, help us to see you more clearly each day. We have ears, help us to hear your words to us. We have hearts, help us to trust in the great mystery of your love and to respond to it by loving you and our neighbors in return. Give us the courage to place our hands into yours and to follow your guidance in all that we think, say, and do. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!

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