We often wonder where faith comes from. Sure, it is a gift from God, but God often works through people. Part of our job as Christians is to give the gift of faith to others. Do we do that? That question arises in the context of today's Gospel reading (Mt 9: 27- 31), which is the story of the Jesus' curing the blindness of two men "according to (their) faith." The blind men ask Jesus to enable them to see. Jesus asks them if they believe that He can do that, and they say that they do. So Jesus touches their eyes and says: "Let it be done for you according to your faith." Where did that faith come from? There is no indication that the two men had been present for any other miracles, or even had any experience with Jesus before Jesus passes by and they ask Him to have pity on them. Yet they somehow know-- believe, have faith-- that Jesus can heal them. How can that have happened? Perhaps the divinity of Jesus was directly revealed to these two men by God. That sort of "infused knowledge " as St. Thomas Acquinas would put it, does happen. But it seems to me that the more probable answer is that other people told the two men about Jesus. Word of Jesus' miracles must have circulated around the countryside. The good news of Jesus' healing ministry spread. Perhaps the two blind men talked to someone who had been healed, or who had witness a healing, or who had a family member who had been healed. Whatever it was, the experience the two men had with those who believed in Jesus was so powerful, so convincing, that they completely believed that Jesus could heal them. Thus, when Jesus says they will be healed according to their faith, their healing is complete. We claim to believe in Jesus in the same way that the people who talked to the two blind men believed in Jesus. Do we have that same impact on people? Is there anyone with whom we have come in contact who now believes in Jesus as a result of our witness? Sadly, I wonder if the answer for most of us is that there is no one whose faith can be traced to what we have said or done. Sure, we believe, but culturally we're so conditioned to keep that belief to ourselves for fear of offending someone or looking like a crazy zealot. Belief is fine, we're taught, so long as it is kept behind closed doors and doesn't really impact anyone else. That's not the kind of attitude that caused the blind men to believe, and it is not the kind of attitude that builds the Kingdom of God here on earth. Let's be clear-- I'm not advocating that we jump out of the bushes and beat people up with the Bible. That never works anyway. But let's not be shy about sharing our beliefs in a way that is affirming and attractive. When the opportunity presents itself, let's tell people who Jesus is and what a difference He has made in our lives. Let's share the Good News of the Gospel. Afraid to do that? Sure, lots of us are, and we have to be prudent in picking the times and places to evangelize. But let's remember this: if someone had not told the two blind men about Jesus, they would never have been healed. It is up to us, in our time and place, to make sure that people learn of the healing presence of Jesus as well.