Open Your Heart

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

09 September 2018

First reading                                                                  Isaiah 35:4-7
Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you.” Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the desert, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

Second reading                                                     James 2:1-5

My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?

Gospel                                                                     Mark 7:31-37

Then he 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.”

Reflection

By Art B Reyes

An elderly man had serious hearing problems for many years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the man to hear perfectly.

The old man went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, “Your hearing is great. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again.” The man replied, “Oh, I haven’t told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to their conversations. I’ve changed my will three times!”

In today’s Gospel (Mk. 7, 31-37), Jesus healed a deaf man who had a speech disability. Jesus took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, He sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." 

When Jesus healed the man away from everyone else, it tells us that He does not see His healing powers as proofs of His divinity, but rather as signs that the God of mercy and goodness is close to us. 

Hearing is not a problem for most of us, but listening is. Our problem is that we are too busy to listen to Jesus. Maybe some of us are too busy making money that we don’t enjoy the fruits of our labor. We are so busy that we don’t enjoy the house that we built for our family. And maybe we are so busy making money that we don’t spend time with our loved ones.

Jesus is speaking to us but more often we only “hear” Him for our heart is not silent. We rather listen to ourselves, to what others have to say, and leave no room for God’s words. Sometimes we say prayers with empty words but we need to pray with our heart, to reflect and meditate. We all need silence and space for ourselves and also for God. Jesus is constantly speaking to us in prayer and in ordinary times of our lives. May we be open to Him.


If we are too busy we can be “deaf” to the real meaning of life. Life is short; it is slipping away so quickly that we need to slow it down. Life is about getting to know God, loving God, and serving God. 

Prayer

Lord, open my ears so I can listen to Your words. Unfold the door of my heart that I may grow in sensitivity to the suffering of others. Liberate my tongue so that I may speak in gratitude of your loving kindness. Amen.