23rd SUNDAY OF THE YEAR B 24

23rd SUNDAY, 08 SEPTEMBER 2024: ISAIAH 35. 4-7; JAMES 2. 1-5; MARK 7. 31-37 Focus: Life is all a matter of openness. The more we are opened to God and to others, the more we will be healthy and happy 1. "Ephphata", "Be opened"! This is what Jesus pronounces to the one with the defect in hearing and speaking. With these words, he heals him, setting right his hearing and speech. The command to be opened clearly implies that something was closed, something was blocking. 2. In fact, healing is essentially a matter of opening what is closed, freeing what is bound, releasing what is blocked. In human life, there are many aspects of this closure. 3. Before we speak of any such closures, there is a more fundamental closure, and that is a closure to God's grace itself. And this is the fact of sin. Sin closes man not to be open to God's offer of grace and love. Thereby he fails to accept it, receive it and refuses to cooperate with it and act upon it. Consequently, he fails to bear fruits of grace. 4. This closure by sin shows itself in various forms, especially in a spiritual and fraternal deafness and spiritual and fraternal dumbness, in reference to the gospel. The result of it is a conduct of partiality and discrimination as depicted in the second reading from the letter of James. When there is spiritual and fraternal deafness and dumbness, when one lacks this inner sensitivity, then there is a failure in the bond of fraternity and in respect, acceptance and concern. 5. Sin closes the power of hearing the voice of God. Whenever there is no heed and attention to the word of God, to his prompting, inspiration and insight, whenever we are disinterested and indifferent to the direction and guidance of God, we are spiritually deaf. Many suffer from this hearing impediment. Many close their ears as soon as some God or spiritual stuff falls on their ears. They tighten their ear-lids so that nothing godly forces its way within. How many are eager and keen to listen to God or something of God? 6. Sin also closes the power of spiritual speech. Thereby we fail to speak of God, speak of His love and mercy. Sin makes us dumb to any God-talk, making it as something unpleasant and boring. This is the reason why many feel resentful, distasteful and annoyed whenever God is the point of interaction or instruction. But on the other hand, any vain and worthless talk becomes interesting and absorbing. How many love to speak something of God or the spiritual? 6. Sin also closes the power of hearing the cries and sobings of others. Whenever one fails to listen to the pains and struggles of others, whenever one is least bothered about the needs and concerns of others, whenever one fails to feel and sense the pulse of others, there is fraternal deafness. How many really patiently, sensitively and attentively listen to others when they really need someone to pour out their heaviness of heart? 7. Further sin also closes the inner ability to speak for others, to speak in their favour and on their behalf. Especially when someone is wronged, when some are deprived of their due rights, justice, respect and dignity, when they cannot speak for themselves, if we fail to speak, we are no doubt dumb fraternally. Also, in normal life, when someone needs some words of comfort, solace, encouragement, and we fail to speak such words, then there is dumbness. Besides, when we fail to recognize and appreciate those deserving, we are dumb. 8. Therefore, it is high time that we overcome our stiff closures. It is the right time to be opened, primarily to God's gracious opening of streams of grace flowing upon us. Listen and take to heart the uplifting words of God in the first reading from Isaiah. God assures his abundant acts of opening and transforming. He opens the ears, the mouths of the deaf and dumb. He transforms dry lands into flowing streams, deserts into springs. Jesus fulfils this assurance in the gospel by healing deaf and dumb. We need to turn to the Lord. We need him to open our blocked and closed inner powers of spiritual and fraternal tenacity. We need to experience the same healing touch of "Ephphata"! Direction: God wants us not only to trust in His power to heal us of our hearing and speaking deformities. He also summons us to approach Him and get healed and whole