Take My Hand - Weekday Homily Video

As I prayed and reflected on Jesus taking the hand of the man who was blind in the Gospel of Mark, the words of the classic hymn, “Precious Lord, Take My Hand,” came to mind.

If you can, imagine the scene where Jesus and His disciples arrive at Bethsaida, a small fishing town, and people bring Jesus to a blind man. Trusting in the healing power of Jesus, they ask Him to touch the man so he can see.

We’ve heard of how the woman who had been ill for years merely touched the garment of Jesus and was healed, but in this case, it was different. The man who was blind needed people to bring Jesus to him. (Maybe you’ve been someone who has been brought to Jesus, or someone who brought a family member or friend to Him for healing in prayer, the Sacrament of Confession or of the Sick, or to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.)

It's a powerful and poignant moment when Jesus takes the man who is blind by the hand and leads him outside the village.

The Importance of Trust

If you’ve ever had your eyes dilated to the point of everything being blurred, most likely someone in the doctor’s office has led you from the waiting room to the exam room. Inherent in allowing a person to lead you is trust. The blind man put his trust in Jesus. He let Jesus lead him away from his loved ones so that Jesus could restore his sight.

Did you notice that the healing didn’t happen all at once? Some theologians point to this and to the fact that whether it is spiritual, emotional, or physical healing, it rarely happens instantly.

Healing usually occurs over time. This is where further trust in Jesus also comes into play. In the Book of Genesis, we hear of the faith of Noah. Noah didn’t just put his trust in God for a day or week or month, but for his lifetime—and six hundred plus years is a long time! Like Noah, we are called to put our faith in Jesus not just intermittently when problems arise but for a lifetime.

We can emulate Noah by being observant both in terms of what is going on within our souls and externally with our family members, friends, and a wider circle. Noah’s trust in God led him to have faith that one day the waters would recede; but he had to be watching and send first a raven and then a dove several times before it didn’t come back, signaling there was dry land and God was ready to provide humanity a reset, a new beginning.

Letting God Lead

The hymn, “Precious Lord, Take My Hand,” was written by a Mr. Thomas A. Dorsey. Not the Tommy Dorsey you might have heard of, but another man. A man who had tragically lost his wife and child as the result of medical complications during childbirth. It is a song that speaks of a sadness and weariness that seems unbearable. It is song of faith that God can lead us to a better place whether on earth or heaven.

The Book of Genesis, the Gospel of Mark, and that hymn (“Precious Lord, Take My Hand”) remind us of God’s love for each of us, His compassion and healing power. It is also a reminder that we need to humbly trust in His presence and in His desire to lead and heal us, in ways and lengths of time that can take us to different places interiorly and externally, on a timetable that only God knows.

Today is a good day to renew our faith and our trust in God, and each in our own way, to say the Lord: take my hand, lead me on.

• Today’s Readings

• Father David's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page. 

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