Gospel – Mark 7:31-37
Then Jesus returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue.
Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
The Gospel of the Lord
The Mass intention is for Carlo P and family Intentions
Reflection:
Todays gospel is a story about ordinary life – someone hard of hearing, with poor speech, disabilities that challenge us. If you ever had a speech impediment or the difficulty of deafness you’d know the distress it can cause. Jesus was distressed at the suffering of this man. Notice the compassion of Jesus and the care in his heart. Religion is about the ordinary the gospel of Jesus doesn’t fudge that issue.
Most of Jesus’ life is about the ordinary and is lived among people who are sick, depressed, worried about the future, hiding their shame of the past, losing faith and getting it back. Jesus is truly with us in this PANDEMIC! People who lose a loved one in death, or who are involved in family misunderstandings, hungry and thirsty people etc. Imagine Jesus touches your ear. He clears resistance and you hear love, for the touch of Jesus on your ear is the touch of love, of life, of new hearing. His touch on the tongue gave the life of new speech and new freedom to a stammering man.
- What do you want Jesus to touch for you that will make you whole again?
- When you and I were baptised our ears and tongue were blessed, so that we could hear God’s word and praise God. Do we do that to the full?