Gospel reflections – 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
5 September 2021
Mark 7: 31-37 “Ephphatha! Be opened.”
And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly.
To Listen and Talk… as God Does
A few years ago, I had a problem with my right ear. It pained severely; I felt so uncomfortable and even found it hard to have a good night’s sleep. I went to one doctor in KPJ and he was very cordial in welcoming me and examining my aching ear. Upon knowing that I am a priest, he casually asked me, “Father, if you don’t mind me asking, is this the ear you usually use when you hear confessions?” His question made me think for a while… and then I replied, “I think so, Doc.” To that he jokingly said, “No wonder it’s now in pain. It must have heard so many sins, and most of them must be very serious.” It made me wonder even more. Is this doctor just pulling my leg? Or he is actually being honest about it? Well, even if it was meant as a joke, there surely must be at least a tinge of truth in it, right?”
Thanks be to my doctor… who by the way did not charge me a single RM for consultation and even gave me my medicine for free. After that check-up and medication, I have felt no more pain in my ear… though I still use that ear of mine a lot when I hear confessions.
Up to now I do wonder…
Could it be that seriously our ears get sick if they hear a lot of bad stuff?
Back when I was in one of our Salesian schools in the Philippines (in Don Bosco Tarlac), I remember buying those Three Wise Monkeys made of stone as garden decors from my friend who was into landscaping business. One monkey has his hands covering his eyes; the second, his ears; and the third, his lips. My landscapist friend told me that they represent the saying “See no evil; hear no evil; say no evil.” How blessed those monkeys are!
Are your ears in pain?
Probably ‘coz they hear so much evil? Or ‘coz they hear more evil than good? Or ‘coz they hear no good at all?
Are your lips in pain too?
Probably ‘coz you say so much evil, or you say more evil than good, or you say nothing good at all?
Honestly, sometimes mine are.
During those times when I did, it made me kind of wish… “Sana bingi na lang ako. Sana pipi na lang ako. I wish I am deaf. I wish I am mute.”
I wish I am deaf… because I’m tired of hearing…
…all the sad and bad and worsening news of this pandemic…
…all the same old story of dirty politics and problems in economics…
…all the violence and human suffering in world news…
…all the nagging of my spouse, my parents, my bosses, my teachers… even if a part of me knows that they do mean well…
…all the belittling and bullying of the people around me, both spoken and unspoken…
…all the lies and badmouthing around… even from those who by office are supposed to be decent and dignified in speech and in conduct…
…all the unkind talks I hear from others… and also from my very self…
…all the promises unkept, all the pronouncements unmeant, all the expectations unmet, and all the excuses unheard of… from others and again, from myself too…
I wish I’m deaf. I wish I’m mute.
So that I won’t get hurt by what I hear anymore. So that I won’t hurt with what I say anymore.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus heals that person who is deaf and mute.
While there are times when I envy the deaf and the mute, here is Jesus healing someone who is deaf and mute. It’s like Jesus is telling me, “I want all to hear and speak. I come to heal the deaf and the mute.”
Lord, I am not deaf nor mute… but I do need your healing too… I do need your healing so!
Heal me, O Lord, from my ears and lips that are in pain… caused by so much evil… around me and inside me…. Please, dear Lord, heal me!
Turn my aching ears and lips into one that loves… that listens and speaks… from the heart and to the heart…
to my family and friends, to my spouse and children, to my parents and siblings…
to my peers and mere acquaintances, even to strangers and those nameless faces.
Lord, with your grace and only with your grace, even in this imperfect and hurting world of ours,
may I be a listening ear and an uplifting mouth… to all… and at all times….
And if I fail… and fail again… I ask for your forgiveness, Lord, and your grace for me to try again… and try again and again…
Dear Jesus, I pray…
May my ears be like yours, Lord.
May my lips be like yours, Lord.
In the midst of the evils of the world, still loving,
In the midst of hurts, mistakes and imperfections, forever life-giving.
This I pray Lord… again… and again…
Ephphatha… Open my ears and my lips, Lord.
May I say “I wish I’m deaf and mute” no more.
Rather, may I only say… “I wish my ears and lips are like yours, Lord!” even more.
A few questions for reflection… and action…
• Who is that one person in your life now that God is inviting you to listen to more lovingly?
• Who is that one person in your life now that God is inviting you to talk with more heartily?
That person could be somebody who is far… or someone who is actually very near you now.
That person could actually be yourself…. Maybe God invites you to listen and talk to yourself more… more sincerely, more seriously.
Or that person could actually be God…. Maybe God longs to have a heart to heart listening and talking with you. Maybe it has been a very long time since you two have had such. He must be very much missing you.
Whoever that person may be… may you listen to that someone… may you talk with that someone…
more lovingly… as God would… and as God does.
“I wish my ears and lips are like yours, Lord, loving, life-giving!”
Fr Ramon Borja, SDB
Commission for Youth
