Twenty.third Sunday B in Ordinary Mk 7,31-37

Today’s Gospel speaks of the healing of the deaf and dumb, and the evangelist St. Mark ends with words about Jesus. “He does well: he gives hearing to the deaf, and speech to the dumb” (Mark 7:37).

The description of the healing of the deaf and dumb raises many questions and requires several explanations. Notice the method of healing. Jesus healed by touch and publicly, as in the case of the leper, when he “stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,” I will be clean “(Mt 8: 3). Jesus performed miracles before the eyes of men and even healed from a distance, as in the case of the servant’s centurion. He told the centurion. “Go and let it be done to you as you believed” (Mt 8:13). In the case of the deaf-mute, Jesus takes the sick away from people. He wants to be alone with the patient. Jesus uses characters and words in healing. It touches sick ears and tongues with salivated fingers and fully respects that the senses recognize the physical world. Jesus came as the Savior of the world. Jesus certainly wanted to prepare the deaf and dumb for healing by these symbolic touches of sick places. Jesus inspires trust in him and thus hope. This is because the patient could only suspect that the Helper had come due to his illness. The deaf-mute is to understand that healing must be begged “from above,” so Jesus “raised his eyes to heaven.” Only then, when faith and knowledge certainly begin to germinate in the sick, does Jesus utter the word of power “Effata,” which means “Open” (Mark 7:34). The effect of words is immediate and lasting. “At that moment his ears were opened, and his tongue was loosed, and he spake correctly” (Mark 7:35). Two miracles happened here. Because the patient had been deaf-mute since his birth, he had mastered speech immediately after his recovery and did not have to learn it with difficulty at first. Jesus uses characters that were common in the Oriental language. They communicated with characters. The healing took place in Decapolis; it was a pagan region, and a pagan likely healed him. It can be assumed that this is why he did not come alone, such as the female Sirofenican buckwheat, but that he was brought in, accompanied by others who knew Jesus more. When Jesus takes away from the sick, he wants him to believe in his power and words. Jesus introduces himself to the Gentiles as God. Jesus asks those to whom he restores health to believe in him. And, likely, those who brought him did not yet have good faith, so this healing took place outside them. However, the miracle has a positive effect. The evangelist St. Mark marked the words that people in the crowd spoke about Jesus: “He does everything well: he gives hearing to the deaf, and to speak to the dumb” (Mark 7:37).

One may remark that being deaf-mute is a man’s hard fortune. And yet, we have cases in the history of the saints who have worked hard for themselves to control themselves and be masters of their mouths. The later Pope Agaton (678-681) has carried a stone in his mouth for three years as a priest to learn to remain silent. And one of the first Fathers of spiritual life, Arsenic the Great of Egypt (+355), is said to have often said, “I must often repent for my words, but not for silence!”
Jesus does not want our pain. Today’s Gospel reminds us of our concern not only for the health of the body, but also for the soul’s health. Jesus did not heal the deaf-mute to suffer then, but to work for himself, through his sanctification, to gain a share in the kingdom of God. Our faith is the foundation of our salvation. Even today, Jesus gives us signs, touching not only our bodies but also our souls. He establishes contact with us in public and often in private. Jesus comes to help us in our weaknesses. It is fitting that we can ask for the help of our God. Jesus comes to us weak but requires faith from us. He asks if we believe he can do it to us. Crucial to our faith in his deity.
It is said that a beggar knocked on the door of a hermit and begged for a piece of bread. Because the hermit had nothing to eat, he gave him a precious ring. The beggar did not know what to do with the crew. You put it on your finger, but he remained hungry. After a while, the hermit learned that the beggar was still begging with a ring in his hand. He called him and said, “Realize that the ring you wear on your hand is very valuable and has great value. Sell ​​it and for money you can live without hunger all your life. “
We often forget that we have received from God the jewel of life: love, faith, and hope. We forget that this has a value from which we should draw for all eternity. God wants us not to be deaf and dumb. He often speaks to us. He shows us his love in the sacraments, in prayer, in Holy Mass, and other acts of Christian spiritual and physical mercy. It is up to each of us to receive these gifts with faith and to receive graces and blessings for natural and spiritual life, for life here on earth and forever. Jesus healed the body of the deaf and dumb and touched the soul through the body. The sick person expresses this by saying that even though Jesus commanded him not to speak of it because his hour had not yet come, the ill person did not remain silent, and the more emphatically he showed them, the more they proclaimed it and the more they admired “(Mark 7: 36-37). ). Today the situation is the opposite. Jesus is rightly waiting for us to talk about his help, our love for us – and what is the reality?

A Christian is deaf-mute. He is silent when he has to talk about God. He is quiet when God speaks to him. What is our faith? It is not just the mouth that speaks of faith, but our whole life, our deeds.

We realize that the patient belongs to the doctor. The patient needs help. And when we can understand it in connection with the body, in the realm of the soul, it is no longer difficult for us. The essence of our faith is that we have all our hope in God, who sees into our hearts and sees not only our appearance. Religion is based on fidelity to Him who died for man. Our effort is to meet faith with Jesus, who alone can heal our body and soul, not just for a time but for all eternity.
The new school year has begun. Catechists should lead their disciples to prove with their lives that God wants those who believe in him to profess and live their faith not only in knowledge, but also in deeds. The world today needs educated Christians, but also saints. Not only students but all of us who have already graduated from school, let us recall the requirement of holiness by example.
Painters-artists have inserted a unique technique in their works. In London, the Church of St. Paul is a painting called “Light of the World.” It depicts a text from the Revelation of the Apostle John: “I stand at the door and knock.” At dusk, Jesus stands in front of the door with a lantern in his hand. The master technique causes that when the viewer looks at the image from either side, Jesus always looks at the person. When the viewer moves while watching, he has the impression that Christ also moves with him.
It’s our memento. God always looks at us. And it’s up to us whether we want to be healthy. The gospel reminds us of the opportunity to begin again. The deaf man received the gift of Jesus and was healed. He accepted Jesus as God. In pride, one remains ill. Pride is an obstacle to getting God’s blessing. Pride is an obstacle for God to heal us. Let’s explain it with an example:
The gardener planted a new notch on the branch. When he grew up, beautiful apples were born on the unit. The branch was proud. He declared the trunk and root of the tree that he did not need them. So, the roots and the trunk decided not to supply the branch with nutrients and moisture. What followed? We can imagine. The department did not bear fruit the following year. It dried up.
When we have disappointed God, He can give us another chance. But we must not rely on his goodness, but we need to work with God’s gifts. Then we can heal and maintain the health of the soul and body.

Let us prevent no one from losing their lives as unreasonably as a young student in a railway accident. We shouldn’t have earphones when we hear God’s word, but are happy to listen to talks about healing and eternal life.