Pope tells visually impaired: One sees well only with the heart

Image Vatican News

Source: Vatican News

In a society blinded by appearance and prejudices that exclude its weakest, Jesus invites us to see people and things with the heart, Pope Francis said on Saturday. He made the comments during a meeting with members of 'Voir Ensemble' a French Catholic organisation which supports people who are blind or visually impaired.

Pope Francis said the encounter with Jesus should encourage Christians to reject the culture of prejudice that marginalises the sick and disabled, and to embrace encounter and fraternity instead.

Reflecting on the healing of the blind man in the Gospel of John, chapter 9, the Pope noted that Jesus radically rejected the prejudices of those times concerning people born blind. Similarly, he said, today "we are used to perceiving only the outside of things, the most superficial aspect. Our culture states that people are worthy of interest in terms of their physical appearance, their clothes, their beautiful homes, their luxury cars, their social position, their wealth." But the Gospel, he said, tells us another story.

"As the Gospel teaches us, a sick or disabled person, with his or her fragility, can be at the heart of encounter: the encounter with Jesus, who opens to life and faith, and who can build fraternal and supportive relationships, in the Church and in society."

Pope Francis went on saying that in giving sight to the blind man, Jesus shows that His heart "cannot remain indifferent to suffering," hence inviting us "to act immediately, to console, soothe and heal the wounds of our brothers."

He also called attention to the paradox of the blind man becoming able to see after meeting "the One who is the Light of the world" - and the many who, while meeting Jesus, remain blind. "This paradox, very often runs through our own life and our ways of believing," he said.

Pope Francis then quoted from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's book: 'The Little Prince' who says: "One sees well only with the heart."

"Seeing with the heart is seeing the world and our brothers through God's gaze," he said, noting that "faith cannot be reduced to a series of theoretical beliefs, traditions, and customs. It is a bond and a path along which we follow Jesus, who renews our way of seeing the world and our brothers."

Pope Francis went on to stress that Christians "cannot be satisfied with being enlightened," as the Pharisees did: they must also be "witnesses of the light" as the blind man was.

"We too are called to bear witness to Jesus in our life with welcoming manners and fraternal love."

Pope Francis concluded his address by encouraging the 'Voir Ensemble' association to "continue walking on the path of 'seeing together,' with the heart," building on the charism of their founder, Father Yves Mollat SJ, a blind Jesuit who started the charity in the 1920s.

LINK

Voir Ensemble - www.voirensemble.asso.fr/