Ephphatha

09-08-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Bing Colasito

Isaiah describes the people of Israel rejoicing because the Lord came to their aid and saved them. The Lord vindicated them from the eyes of their enemies. Israel experiences transformation as they acknowledge the saving power of God. He removes their ills a spiritual freedom people experience when the Messiah comes. Signs that characterized the Messianic time: the deaf can hear, and the mute can speak. The coming of Jesus fulfilled all these Messianic prophesies, Lk. 7:22, Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind see, cripple walked, lepers cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead resurrected to life, and the good news proclaimed to the poor.

God is love. His love does not discriminate against any person. But His bias is towards the poor, the sick, and the marginalized of society. Did not God choose those who are weak in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and heirs to the Kingdom He promised to those who loved Him? Disciples are imitators of their masters, so we must imitate Jesus, showing special favor to the sick and the poor. For some time, the Social Teaching of the Church trumpeted the tenet of a preferential option for the poor. Loving is not only a tradition in the Church but a neverending mission. The love for the poor comes from the Gospel of the Beatitudes: The poverty of Jesus and His concern for the poor.It extends not only to material poverty but also to the many forms of cultural and religious poverty. (CCC 2444)

The deaf man represents many in society. Many of us may not have physical deafness and muteness but fall into the category of spiritual deafness. Refusing to hear the cries of the victims of injustices and the religiously persecuted. Or the picture of extreme poverty and wealth in poor and rich countries. A deaf heart shuts off the WORDS of God, hearing only by ear and not by the heart. If only we could acknowledge our poverty before God and bend our knees in humility the favor of God rest more before us. Our genuine concern for the good of others, especially the poor, and our humility and compassion put us on the radar of God’s care and healing. God cannot fill us if we are full of ourselves. But in our littleness, He extends His hand in prayer: Ephphatha to the blindness of our mind, heart, and soul. The Lord Jesus incarnates the prophecy of Isaiah, restores us, and frees us from the effects of sins so that we can hear His WORD, proclaim it, and put it into practice.

Jesus says Ephphatha,opening the ears of the deaf man and loosening his tongue. For the first time, he hears spoken words, and without any memory and knowledge of how to talk, the deaf and mute speak, praising God. The greater miracle is the gift of communication and his full integration into a community.

Jesus shows compassion to the deaf man and the people who brought him. The healing of the man points to the presence of the Kingdom. Right before their eyes, Jesus fulfills the words of the prophet Isaiah. The scene of people bringing the man to Jesus exemplifies a vicarious faith. God heals a man because other people have faith. The community believes that Jesus can heal the man. The healing is an excellent reminder that faith is not only for personal use but also for those who need help.

What are our spiritual deafness and muteness? How has the Lord broken through this deafness and muteness? How have our lives changed after experiencing the healing touch of God?

Today is the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Happy Birthday, Mama Mary (Sept. 8)! The Blessed Mother is our model for authentic openness to God. In the Magnificat, she proclaims: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my savior! She made God bigger than herself, her plans, and her life. Healing happens by acknowledging that we must decrease and God must increase in our lives.