22 Dec, 2009
The Ultimate Christmas Gift... Sight
Between the grateful hugs and joyous tears, Cassy Rivera took a minute Friday to look her doctor in the eye. "You gave me this gift," the once-blind Brooklyn woman told Dr. Michael Samson, the surgeon who restored her sight. "Thank you so much."
Rivera, still beaming eight days after her delicate and complicated eye operation, shared an emotional Manhattan reunion with the doctor behind her miraculous recovery.
"It's a pleasure to see the man who gave me my sight back," Rivera said at a news conference with Samson. "He's my savior."
Rivera, 36, the mother of two girls, was struck blind in both eyes by an aggressive disease called uveitis. Her eyes began failing in 2005, and she lost all sight two years later.
It was Samson who helped her battle back, with the doctor lobbying Rivera's insurance company for money to cover the surgery. Samson is affiliated with the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, which used charitable funds to pay the rest of her bill.
"Thank you very much for making my mommy see and be well," said 7-year-old Alayza, who had offered to give up all her Christmas toys to make her mother better.
"You're welcome," Samson told the little girl.
Rivera opened her eyes to a new world that included her first look at 23-month-old daughter Aniahya. She also saw Alayza for the first time since January 2007.
To read the full story by Daily News writers, Jeff Wilkins and Larry Mcshane, go to nydailynews.com.
II Cor. 4:4-6 [NIV]
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
John 9:25b [NIV]
...One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!
What does God's Story teach us about helping the blind see?
In the gospels we see Jesus heal many people of many issues...blindness being one of them. In today's story we see Cassy Rivera having the same exact response to her doctor as we see in John 9. Just like the man that Jesus healed, Cassy referred to her doctor as "her savior" and was overwhelmed with thankfulness for giving her the gift of sight.
But Jesus wasn't all that interested in healing people just so they could see in a physical way. He wanted to help them see spiritually. In II Corinthians 4, we are taught that the god (lower case) of this age...a.k.a. "the devil"...has blinded the minds of unbelievers. They can not see! They are in complete darkness!
Christ, however, is the LIGHT! He entered into this world to expel the darkness...to make the blind to see...spiritually! THAT is why we celebrate Christmas!
How does this impact my story?
Today's story and todays' scripture aren't really cool miracles that just happened to other people...it's about the miracle that has happened to YOU. Without Christ you would be blind to eternal matters. Without Christ, you too would be chasing the empty and meaningless things of this world. Without Christ, you would be leading a life without purpose. Without Christ you would be BLINDED by the enemy. Praise God that He sent His Son to give us the gift of sight...our Savior!
How does this impact my friend's story?
If you want a good reminder of just how blessed you are, spend 5-10 minutes today blindfolded. Try to make your way around the house. Try to do simple things like making a phone call, doing the dishes or eating a meal. You can bet that a day, a week or a month of complete blindness would help you to be thankful beyond measure for the sight that you have.
In the same way, many of our friends are walking around every day in spiritual blindness that has them living an empty life. They are blind and looking for someone who can help them see...truly see. God has called us into that role. That's what the Christmas Story is all about...the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ...who made His Light shine in our hearts...so that we can share that with others.
May we be about the business of sharing the ultimate gift...the gift of sight.
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