Ephphatha!

Listening to the Spirit

Lord, thank you for the gift of Your Word
so that all your people may know and love You more
and understand You better.
As I go about my day may I not forget
the scriptures you have opened up for me.
Help me to recognize how You want for me
to apply Your Word to my daily life.
Holy Spirit, guided by Your Word,
may You enlighten my mind
and enkindle in my heart
a greater love for You and for others
in my family and in the world.

Amen.

Listening to the Word

Mark 7:31-37

Again Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis.

And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!”—that is, “Be opened!”— And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly.

He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it. They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Reflection

The word of God on this Sunday presents us with Jesus who cures a deaf and dumb person. Beyond this miracle, we can see the power of God who restores our hearing and speech thus putting us in the condition to listen to the word of God and to joyfully proclaim it around.

Humanity is visibly sick, too much suffering around us; sense of powerlessness threatens our desire for life. Jesus meets us in this fragility; he empathizes with our suffering and addressing the Father in prayer opens our ears to listen to his liberating word; the beauty of his Gospel reaches us deeply causing a transformation; for all who have allowed God's mercy to reach them, it's the dawn of hope; the power of his Spirit heals the broken and chases away evil that wants to enslave our existence.

When we allow the Lords to utter ‘Effata’ we will be able to emphasize with the poor, with the one to whom justice is denied; we will be able to understand and rejoice at the Beatitudes, we will rejoice with Mary and sing her Magnificat. Our biased and selective hearing focused on negativity and failure to understand, will be attuned to a different channel, a different language, and a different narrative: the Gospel of the Lord.