Jesus taught me how to see with my heart, even with my rather blind eyes.

Visually impaired people know the crucial importance of glasses. To be able to see, particularly in darker places, they need more light than healthy people.

One can apply this to a spiritual perspective: “The Word came to us. In the Word was life and the life was the light for all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”

I did not exactly think of this when, as a six year old boy, I got my first glasses. Many more glasses followed. I had strong glasses: -6 on one side and -9 on the other. Finally it ended up with -14 and -18. In 1969, while studying at the university, I decided to take contact lenses. They caused me to cry and tear up until I got used to them. Often I lost them. Twenty years ago I quit driving because I almost caused several accidents. A short time later I underwent an eye operation, which improved my long distance vision. I now use reading glasses for reading.

Jesus helped me, not only to see; he brought me light; he sent me to Siloam; he washed my eyes and I began to see. He also taught me discernment; to look at things from all sides. He taught me how to see with my heart, even with my rather blind eyes. He gave me a family, which provided me with glasses and a Congregation that gave me contact lenses. He provided a family for me that taught me how to love and a Congregation that helped me to see and discern mercy.

Glasses can break and contact lenses can get lost. I try to increasingly understand and practice love and mercy, toward myself, my family, my Congregation, for the poor, and for the orphaned children. In that way I attempt to follow Jesus, Mary and Vincent and see them as my teachers.

Brother Theo Adams CMM (Brazil)