Sunday, September 8, 2024

Readings

First Reading: Is 50:5-9a
Second Reading: Jas 2:14-18
Gospel: Mk 8:27-35

In today’s Gospel from Mark, we are given a profound message through the healing of a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment. This event holds such significance that it has been incorporated into the rite of baptism. During baptisms, we perform the ephphatha rite, where the priest touches the ears and mouth of the baptized child and says, “Be open.” This beautiful moment signifies that one day, as they grow in faith, they will be able to speak of God’s wonders. But before speaking well of something, one must first hear about it.

We are a people of hearing. As the Jewish people received the first commandment, what was it? The first commandment they received was: “Listen.” Everything begins with listening. If we are not open to hearing God’s word, we risk leaving the church the same way we came in. The Word of God is always trying to communicate with us, calling us to be open to His grace.

In the healing of this man, Jesus does something very unusual: He puts His fingers in the man’s ears, spits, touches his tongue, and looks up to heaven, saying, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Be open.” He doesn’t say, “Hear” or “Speak.” He says, “Be open”—open to God’s will. Because the way to happiness and peace always involves openness to God’s will.

This Gospel is about us. Like the man in the story, we often struggle to hear God, and because we cannot hear Him, we don’t know what to say when we face suffering or uncertainty in life. But when we are open to God’s grace, we begin to speak well of Him. When was the last time you spoke well of God—at work, at home, or in conversation with friends? To speak well of God means to recognize His love and Providence, even in the midst of our struggles.

The people who witnessed this miracle were astonished, saying, “He has done all things well.” God opened their ears and mouths as well, helping them to see the beauty and glory of His work. The Lord can take the most painful moments of our lives and transform them into something beautiful. That is the power of God.

Brothers and sisters, this Gospel reminds us that we are not suffering in vain. God sees our pain and suffering and is not indifferent to it. Like Jesus, who raised His Son from the dead, God can raise us from our struggles and give us new life. In the midst of our challenges, we are called to be open to His grace and to trust in His love and mercy.

So, as we reflect on today’s Gospel, let us ask the Lord to open our ears to hear His word and to transform our lives so that we may speak well of Him in all that we do.