Friday of the First Week of Advent

According to Your Faith

Today, on this first Friday of Advent, we are given a beautiful and challenging Gospel in Matthew 9:27-31. Two blind men follow Jesus, crying out, ‘Son of David, have pity on us!’ Though they cannot see with their eyes, they see with their hearts. They recognize Jesus as the Messiah—the one who brings light into darkness and healing into brokenness.

Jesus does not heal them immediately. Instead, he brings them inside, into the quiet of a house, and asks them a question: ‘Do you believe that I can do this?’ It’s a question that pierces the heart. And their answer is simple, yet profound: ‘Yes, Lord.’ Then Jesus touches their eyes and says, ‘Let it be done for you according to your faith.’ And their eyes are opened.

This Gospel invites us to reflect on the nature of faith, especially in this season of Advent. Advent is not just about waiting for Christmas; it is about preparing our hearts to receive Christ more fully. And that preparation begins with faith—faith that God is at work in our lives, even when we cannot see it clearly.

The blind men show us what true faith looks like. Their faith is persistent—they follow Jesus even when he does not answer right away. Their faith is humble—they cry out for mercy. And their faith is personal—they respond to Jesus directly and trust in his power to heal.

St. John Chrysostom once said, ‘Faith is the mother of healing.’ These men were not healed because they said the right words or performed the right actions. They were healed because they believed. Their faith opened the door to the miracle.

Jesus’ question—’Do you believe that I can do this?’—is one he asks each of us today. Do we believe that he can bring peace where there is anxiety? Do we believe he can bring healing where there is hurt? Do we believe he can bring light into the dark places of our hearts?

As we continue our Advent journey, let us ask the Lord to increase our faith. Let us follow him with trust, cry out to him with humility, and believe that he can do more than we ask or imagine. And may we, like the blind men, hear him say to us, ‘Let it be done for you according to your faith.’