September 9, 2012, 23rd
Sunday in Ordinary Time B
Isaiah 35: 4-7; James 2:1-5; Mark 7:
31-37
What an interesting set of readings today to reflect on and help
me grow closer to the Lord. Isaiah today is telling the people to
have courage because God is coming to save His people. Whatever
difficulty I have, no matter what is happening to me; no matter how
discouraged I am God is not only present but totally concerned about
me and as Isaiah is saying, each person is unique and valuable to
God. Each person is a living miracle; each person is one of God’s
originals; each person is one of a kind; and each person has a unique
mission to be love through the giftedness of them. And James says
that class distinctions should have no place in me, among Christians,
with anyone.Jesus gets even more pointed in the Gospel today in one of His well known miracles: the healing of the deaf-mute. What is so unique about this is that Mark includes many details of the miracle. Is this an accident...no…there are no coincidences in what Jesus does. Mark says that Jesus puts His finger into the man’s ears , spits, touches the man’s tongue and looks up to heaven and says, “Be opened!” What message is there in this today for me and all who reflect on this? God is intimately connected with this man and me and each person. He just doesn’t say be cured and that’s it, Jesus touches him and more. I think that there is a message in that Jesus first gives the man his hearing and then the ability to speak. How can I reflect on this? When I’m speaking with someone am I really listening or am I preparing my response before the person finishes? Do I do this with God? Do I think that I know what God is going to say or do or respond to me before He does it?
In looking deeper into this miracle of the healing of deafness and speech impediment; we can reflect on the physical, social and spiritual aspects. The Physical…there are many people today who are hearing impaired due to so many factors, age is one of them. What does this do…it makes them feel isolated from others and left out or ignored. How many people do I ignore or not treat as one of God’s special people?
On the Social level, people can have no difficulty with seeing and hearing but they may have definite problems with communicating with others. This exists in families with old hurts, or not being appreciated, or being taken for granted. And then there are the people I just don’t like or avoid; communication is lacking. The most important questions is am I treating them as a special person in God’s creation? How do I love?
Then there is the Spiritual level…do I suffer from spiritual deafness…or spiritual speech impediments. What do I mean? With all the noise in my life, do I realize that God is always present, concerned and speaking to me in so many ways: through loved ones; people; nature; Scripture; the Church? God is never restricted in the ways He shows me His love. Do I allow a quiet place to exist in my life each day so I can allow God to be God to me? Or am I involved in busyness, even busyness in ministry and do not have time for God? How am I speaking my faith? Do I ask for the courage each day to be Jesus? Do I ask for the gift of strength to be a person of love?
The wonderful news, the Good News, is that Jesus said, “Be Opened!” God gives me and each person the help, the grace to be Him. To do this I have to listen with respect to each person especially those with differing views; I can always show love and pray for them. I have to welcome into my life the estranged; to do this I have to ask for the grace to forgive and then to do this. Living the Word, written by Dianne Bergant and Rev. James Wallace puts it this way: “The story in this Gospel tells us how Jesus helped a man to find his voice. The man whose tongue Jesus touched with His spittle (an element believed to ward off demons) came to speak ‘plainly.’ Another word for ‘plainly’ would be ‘rightly,’ in the sense of correctly or truly. ‘Be opened’, Jesus says, and it happens. The man then spoke the truth of what Jesus did for him, and honored Him. As we hold firm to our faith in the Lord, Jesus calls us to both speak and act ‘rightly’ in the eyes of the world, caring for those who have little and treating them with the same dignity as those who have much. We are called to imitate Jesus by reaching out tenderly to touch those who have been wounded by life and burdened by the rejection of others. Helping others to hear the sound of love can be done in many quiet ways and with little fanfare.” So I reflect on:
- “He has done all things well’ He makes the deaf hear and
the dumb speak.” Do I reflect and give thanks for all that God
has taught me and what I have shared with others about His love?
- Do I minister to the spiritual needs of others as readily as
I minister to their physical needs?
- How can I help someone who is completely wrapped up in their
possessions or work to the neglect of their faith life?
- Let me spend some time in considering how Jesus has touched
my life and enabled me to hear His voice and sing His praises.
