23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year B)
Scripture: Is. 35:4-7; Ps. 146: 6-7, 8-9a, 9bc-10; Jas. 2:1-5; Mk. 7:31-37
Coincidentally, this week, I had to relate with the deaf and the dumb and while interacting with them I got unique insights. In one such case, my bishop asked me to plan a marriage preparation course for a young couple who is deaf and dumb. I inquired in the neighbouring dioceses whether they have given marriage preparation courses to such couples; unfortunately, I got a negative response. We thought of giving them a dispensation but I thought of working on the situation. I found a young Hindu girl who knew how to communicate with them; she is a graduate. While explaining to her the course material, I could not build a conversation with her. I asked her father to help me. He said that she is an intelligent girl and she received many awards at the state and national levels. I inquired whether she could hear us but his response made a deep impression on me. He said, she can’t hear therefore she cannot speak. The hearing is the most important faculty. It helps us to speak.
The readings from today’s liturgy have beautiful messages for us. It points to us that God wants us to hear him and then go out to proclaim his message to other nations. The first reading which comes from the section of Deutro (second) Isaiah gives a prophecy; ‘Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing’. The prophet wrote at the end of the sixth century before Christ, the people of Israel were in Babylonian exile. At the end of their exile in Babylon, they lived a pitiful life. God on his own, brought the people of Israel from exile. The prophet’s words express the healing and well-being of everyone. He invites people to see God who continues to save them from slavery as He did with their ancestors in Egypt. God will open their eyes to see His merciful love. They had turned their deaf ears to hear the goodness of the Lord but now He will open their ears. They had become dumb and were reluctant to sing praises of God but they will sing praises to God.
Today’s psalm takes over from the first reading. The psalmist who has received the sight is able to hear and speak. He sings, my soul gives praise to the lord (the response of today’s psalm). God is faithful to his promises. He helps the oppressed, the hungry, the prisoners, the blind, the strangers, the orphan and the widow. The Lord reigns forever and ever from age to age.
The Gospel shows the fulfilment of the prophecy of prophet Isaiah. Jesus heals the man brought to him who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech. The healing takes place in the gentile territory called the Decapolis. In Jewish culture, such a person was considered a sinner. The Jews believed the deaf and dumb man who was a gentile is struck by God for his sinfulness. Jesus shows compassion to him and heals him. The Gospel says, his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. The miracle had lasting effects on the deaf and dumb man as well as on the people. They first heard the words of Jesus “Ephphatha” which means “Be opened”, the good news from Jesus. Then they began to proclaim Jesus. They were zealous and astonished beyond measure. Jesus opened their ears and loosened their tongue to hear and to proclaim the good news.
The dynamics used by Jesus in this miracle are noteworthy. There are seven steps in the miracles; 1) Jesus takes the man away from the crowd, 2) he puts his finger in his ears, 3) he spits on his fingers, 4) he touches on his tongue with the spittle, 5) he looks up to the heaven, 6) he sighs and 7) he commands, “Ephphatha. The Fathers of the Church in their writings refer to this miracle as the sacrament of Baptism. The rite of baptism uses this symbolism when the minister touches the finger to the ears and tongue of the candidate. The miracle of healing of deaf and dumb man is nothing else but his inception in Jesus Christ.
We are all baptised in the Lord. The minister of the sacrament has also put his fingers in our ears and touched our tongue and pronounced the words Ephphatha. We are people whose ears are opened and tongue is loosened to speak the Gospel in the sacrament of Baptism. This was my calling just like the man in the Gospel unlike the girl who could not hear and speak in my anecdote. The man in the Decapolis was lucky to meet Jesus. We too are lucky to meet Jesus in the sacrament of Baptism. He has healed our spiritual deafness and dumbness in baptism.
How do I know whether I am spiritually deaf and dumb? I am supposed to be proclaiming Christ-like the deaf and dumb man in the Gospel. I am supposed to be singing psalms like the psalmist. I am supposed to be impartial like St. James. I am supposed to be proclaiming the goodness of God like the prophet Isaiah. Am I?
