The Sunday Gospel [September 9, 2012]
Mark 7:31-37
31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decap'olis. 32 And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they besought him to lay his hand upon him. 33 And taking him aside from the multitude privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue; 34 and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, "Eph'phatha," that is, "Be opened." 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 And he charged them to tell no one; but the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well; he even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak."
Reflection
“Be opened.” ~ v. 34
Scripture tells us that Jesus performed countless healings during his public ministry. So we may wonder why some healing stories are preserved in the Bible, while others aren’t. Think, for example, about all the blind people Jesus must have healed – what was so special about Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52)?
Today’s Gospel reading is different, however. This is one of those rare stories where Jesus did something other than just touch someone or speak a word of command in order to heal. This time, he took away the man from the crowds, placed his fingers in the man’s ears, spat on his tongue, and groaned from deep within his heart.
Why would Jesus do all this? Is it possible that in addition to healing the man’s ears he was also performing an inner healing? Maybe when groaned “Ephphatha,” which is Aramaic for, “Be opened,” he was talking about the man’s heart. Maybe he removed him from the crowd so that there would be no distraction. Maybe he was healing the man’s spiritual deafness as well as his physical deafness.
This story tells us that Jesus wants to open our ears and our hearts. So give him the chance to do this for you! Let him take you away from the crowd of everyday life. Put aside the demands of your life for just a few minutes each day so that you can hear him speak words of love and promise to you. Let his voice melt any fears, anxieties, or doubts in your heart.
Right now, this very moment, imagine yourself alone with the Lord in a quiet place. Look at the expression on his face, the love in his eyes. He wants to say, “Be opened” to the deepest part of your being. So come to him in the silence that comes from trust and hope. Know that he is with you. Let him speak his words of life to you.
Prayer Response
Lord, silence the noise of the world so that I can hear you. Jesus, I need you to open my heart today.
Reflection Credits: the WORD among us
Source: The Reflection is from Bro. Abel Navarro (you can visit his blog at http://myblogabelnavarroabel.blogspot.com/).
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