Vatican City, Jun 11, 2013 / 11:08 am
Highlighting the spiritual gift of faith seen in Jesus' healing of the blind, Pope Francis encouraged an 'active participation' of the disabled in society.
"The Gospels tell us that Jesus had a particular care for the blind," the Pope said on June 11. "Besides other sick persons, He healed many blind persons. But the healing of a visually impaired person has special symbolic meaning: it represents the gift of faith."
Speaking in an audio message to the Italian Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the Holy Father explained that Christ's healings are "a sign that concerns us all because we all need the light of faith to walk along the path of life."
"This is why Baptism, which is the first Sacrament of Faith, was also called 'illumination' in antiquity."