For anyone dealing with failing eyesight, glaucoma, macular degeneration, cataracts or a sudden eye injury, those stories are a comfort. They show a Lord who cares about our eyes, and who takes his time with each person.
Historical Context
St Odile was, according to legend, born blind in seventh-century Alsace and rejected by her father for it. She received her sight at her baptism. Her abbey on Mont Sainte-Odile is still a pilgrimage site for people with eye problems.
A Prayer for Eyesight
Lord Jesus, you opened the eyes of the blind.
I ask you to heal my eyes,
to protect what sight I have,
and to guide the doctors who treat me.
If my sight doesn’t return, give me courage to adjust,
and keep the eyes of my heart fixed on you.
St Lucy, pray for me.
Amen.
Before Eye Surgery
Lord, steady the surgeon’s hand and my nerves.
Bring me through this safely, and let me see clearly again.
Amen.
For Failing Vision
Lord, I’m losing my sight slowly, and I’m afraid.
Help me hold on to independence and joy.
Send people to help me, and let me accept their help.
Amen.
Bartimaeus’s Prayer
Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
Lord, that I might receive my sight.
Best Times for This Prayer
- Before an eye exam, scan or surgery.
- After a diagnosis.
- On 13 December, the feast of St Lucy and St Odile.
Scripture Connection
“And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.” — Mark 10:52
Once Bartimaeus could see, the first thing he did was follow Jesus. Healing of the eyes and the heart went together.
Related prayers
For the patron of the eyes, see the Saint Lucy Prayer. For vision in the sense of direction, the Prayer for Vision. For headaches, the Prayer for Headache.