« Your Father created the worlds… Could You not make two eyes for my child?»
– A mother, when asked by Jesus if she believed he could give sight to her blind son
471. The woman is watching but she dare not approach the group which has gathered round Jesus. She seems undecided, as while she is urged by her desire to go, she is afraid of moving forward. She then decides to take a middle course: to attract Jesus’ attention. She sees Him take in His arms a beautiful big rosy smiling baby whom a mother has offered Him and whom He dandles pressing him to His heart while speaking to a little old man. She bends over her little boy and says something to him.
The boy raises his head. I now see a sad little face, with closed eyes. He is blind. « Have mercy on me, Jesus!» he says. The infantile little voice cleaves the still air of the square and arrives as far as the group with its lament.
Jesus turns round and sees him. He moves at once with loving care. He does not even hand back to its mother the child He is holding in His arms. Tall and most handsome as He is, He goes towards the blind boy, who after crying, has lowered his head again, in vain urged by his mother to repeat the cry.
Jesus is now before the woman. He looks at her. She also looks at Him; then she timidly lowers her eyes. Jesus helps her. He has handed the child He had in His arms to the woman who gave it to Him.
« Woman, is this son yours?»
« Yes, Master, he is my first-born.»
Jesus caresses his bent head. Jesus does not seem to have noticed the blindness of the little one. But I think that He does so deliberately to let the mother make her request.
« So the Most High has’ blessed your house with numerous children and giving you first the son sacred to the Lord.»
« I have only one son; this one and three girls. And I will not have any more…» She sobs. « Why are you weeping, woman?»
« Because my son is blind, Master!»
« And you would like him to be able to see. Can you believe?»
« I do believe, Master. I was told that You have opened eyes which were closed. But my boy was born with dried eyes. Look at him, Jesus. There is nothing under his eyelids…»
Jesus raises towards Himself the little face prematurely serious and looks closer lifting the eyelids with His thumbs. There are empty spaces under them. He resumes speaking holding with His hand the little face raised towards Himself.
« Why have you come, then, woman?»
« Because… I know that it is more difficult for my boy… but if it is true that You are the Expected One, You can do it. Your Father created the worlds… Could You not make two eyes for my child?»
« Do you believe that I come from the Father, the Most High Lord?»
« I believe it and I believe that You can do everything.»
Jesus looks at her as if He wished to evaluate how much faith there is in her and how pure is her faith. He smiles. He then says: « Child, come to Me »…
