Sunday word, 23 Sep 18

Twenty-third Sunday of the Year B (09 Sep 2018)

Is 35. 4-7a; Ps 146; Jms 2. 1-5; Mk 7. 31-37

Homily of Fr. Paul Panaretos, S.J.

Essential One

My initial impression about these scriptures circled around opened. Isaiah: then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared. Jesus made then now: he put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him…“Be opened!”…immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly.

My impression morphed into questions: what is to be opened in me; in us; in the church; in the world? Each of us probably knows the opening, the clearing, the unburdening each of us desires. In these recent months and future ones we probably want for the church honesty and open transparency so healing may begin. For the world—James spoke to a great longing: an end to partiality among us and discrimination everywhere. Jesus empowers us to be opened.

Being opened does not suggest emptiness for us. Being opened suggests being willing and able to receive. Being opened means letting go in order to make room for something or someone. When Jesus healed the deaf man who had a speech impediment opening to receive happened. Jesus did no speaking because the man could not hear. An earlier miracle happened without speech: a woman touched Jesus’ clothes and was healed. In the moment Jesus knew power had gone out from him.¹ Here Jesus directed his power three ways.

Jesus put his finger into the man’s ear. I imagined myself as the man: feeling Jesus’ finger in my ear let me know he was addressing himself to my deafness. When Jesus groaned I saw he was not speaking as I saw others do; he was like me! You and I may find Jesus spitting and touching the man’s tongue off-putting; but ancients held that saliva had healing properties.² Perhaps Jesus did it because words were useless. Jesus’ action was not natural healing but divine healing: finger in the man’s hear, spitting and touch[ing] his tongue—Jesus himself, his power, divine power entered the deaf man and the man welcomed Jesus. Jesus’ power opened his hearing and cleared his speaking.

I appreciated anew Jesus and Jesus’ power, and I appreciated myself anew. Jesus’ healing was no folk remedy but the gift of the power of God long hoped for and at times unrecognized. Al-though I knew Jesus was most attentive to everyone, this episode helped me appreciate him more. I also appreciated our freedom: we are free to welcome Jesus’ power into us or decline it.

Certain physical conditions and illness can lead to anguish, self-absorption, sometimes even despair and revolt against God. [They] can also make a person more mature, helping one discern in life what is not essential so that one can turn toward that which is.³ Turning toward Jesus is the essential. The Sacraments offers us Jesus and strength to welcome Jesus more into our lives. Healing is not identical to curing. Healing is growing whole; or better, living more peacefully no matter our limitations.

Jesus’ miracles of healing impress on us that we cannot heal ourselves. The ways they began highlight that: a person came to Jesus and asked; or as in this gospel selection and others, people brought to Jesus one who needed help.⁴ Opening ourselves to welcome more deeply Jesus begins and continues our healing. Praying, celebrating sacraments, practicing charity and adjusting lifestyle are four significant ways we open ourselves to Jesus and let Jesus do what we cannot.

In your daily 15 minutes with Jesus this week

• Rest in our triune God.
• Ask Mary and your patron saint to present you to Jesus. 
• Chat with him: praise him for dying and rising for us; thank him for giving us himself in his sacraments which welcome him into us.
• Ask him for grace to feel and know his friendly presence guiding you.
• Close saying slowly the Lord’s Prayer. His words, give us this day our daily bread, remind us our triune God nourishes us to receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.⁵

Link to this homily’s Spiritual Exercise

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1. Mark 5.27-30.
2. Pliny the Elder, Natural History, Book 7, Ch. 2.
3. Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], 1501.
4. Brought to Jesus appears in Matthew 4.24; 8.16; 9.2, 32; 12.22; 14.35; 17.16; Mark 7.32; 8.22; 9.17, 20; Luke 4.40.
5. James 1.12; note 2.5, the last verse of today’s reading.

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Wiki-images Jesus heals a mute man PD-US; Sick brought to Jesus  PD-US