“So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized” – Acts of the Apostles 9:17-18
Saul’s conversion only started when he ‘fell from the horse’ encountering Jesus on the road to Damascus. It was through the ‘yes’ and hands of Ananias that Saul became Paul.
Saul’s blindness was beyond the physical eyes. Jesus calls upon Ananias to be the catalyst of the greatest spread of the greatest story of all time. Ananias’ first reaction to God’s request was a hearty “heck no!” He recalled to Jesus that Saul had warrants and was viciously pursuing Christ’s followers. Jesus shared the reason for His request. Ananias’ jaw must have dropped – “really! Of this Saul? Really?!” We don’t hear him question the ability to heal but the fear of his own safety.
Ananias goes to encounter Saul. Even then his first words display a bit of trepidation and fear – even if boldness – “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me.” Basically, don’t kill or arrest me, Jesus said so.
Ananias laid his hands on Saul and scales fall off his eyes and heart. The blindness of sight, both physical and spiritual is gone.
This is sort of a big bang moment. With a worried yes and surely fearful walk to the door on the street called Straight, Ananias set forth a spark that sets off an explosion to recreate the world. From this single moment, Saul begins his path to become Paul, and then St. Paul. Arguably one of the greatest saints of all time, one of the greatest evangelist saints of all time. The voice which took the Word out to strangers and built a Church. From St. Paul grew many thousands of Catholic Christians.
The Father through Jesus’ voice and mission and the power of the Holy Spirit, calls each of us to be both Ananias and Paul. At times He calls us to be the healing touch of Ananias going to others who are spiritually blind to remove that blindness. We may be the healing that saves a soul or maybe the start of a mission that changes the world. It starts with a simple act of trust.
We are all called to be the healing touch of Jesus to those we love, who are closest to us and to strangers and even enemies. We are all called to be the ‘touch’ that removes blindness.
Through our touch, the blind are called to true vision. Through our touch, the Gospel spreads, to one soul or millions. The mission of spreading the Gospel to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:20, Luke 24:48) begins.
When Jesus calls upon you to be His healing touch to the blind, we must move not in fear or trepidation but in bold confidence of Jesus Christ. Step out in faith and be the healing touch that removes the scales from the eyes of spiritual blindness.