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 receive  their  sight,  and  the  light  of  faith. Whence Baptism  used  to  be called  the  Sacrament  of  “illumination”.

The outward  signs  of  the  Sacraments.  The  outward  means  used  by our  Lord  for  the  cure  of  the  man  born  blind,  namely  the  anointing with clay  and  the  washing  with  water,  could  not,  of  themselves,  have restored his  sight. But it  was  our  Lord’s  almighty  will  that  these  ceremonies should  be  the  means  by  which  He  gave  sight  to  the  blind  man. They were  types  of  the  outward  signs  in  the  Sacraments,  which  are  the means chosen  by  God  for  imparting  the  inward  and  supernatural graces which  are  given  to  us  in  the  holy  Sacraments.

Confidence in  Divine  Providence.  The  poor  man’s  life-long  blindness was apparently  a very  great  misfortune. It was  not  so  really; for  God ordained that  this  blindness  should  not  only  tend  to  the  glory  of  His Son, but  should  be  the  cause  of  the  salvation  of  him  for  whom  it  was apparently a terrible  affliction. We should  never  murmur  against  what is sent  to  us  by  God,  but  should  always  be  satisfied,  and  say  to  ourselves: “The  All-wise  God  alone  knows  to  what  good  end  such  and such an  apparent  misfortune  may  lead.”

Sight is  the  greatest  and  most  precious  of God’s  natural  gifts  to  us. To understand  its  value  you  must  try to imagine  what  it  would  be  like  had  you  been  born  blind. Have you ever  thanked  God  for  your  good  eye-sight? Show your  gratitude by  keeping  a guard  over  your  eyes. Do not  let  them  wander about when  you  are  in  church;  and  above  all  things  do  not  use them for  any  unworthy  purpose.

But you  must  thank  God  still  more  for  the  supernatural  light of faith,  and  resolve  that  all  your  life  through  you  will  bravely confess the  holy  Catholic  Faith  by  word  and  by  deed.

ESUS having  on  one  occasion  retired  to  a desert  place  to pray,  one  of  His  disciples  said  to  Him: “Lord,  teach  us  how to pray,  as  John  also  taught  his  disciples!“  Then  Jesus  said  to them:  “When  you  pray,  say:  Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,