Year: 2024

***

Gospel: Mark 7:31-37

Again Jesus left the district of Tyre
and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,
into the district of the Decapolis. 
And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment
and begged him to lay his hand on him.
He took him off by himself away from the crowd. 
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,
“Ephphatha!”— that is, “Be opened!” —
And immediately the man’s ears were opened,
his speech impediment was removed,
and he spoke plainly. 
He ordered them not to tell anyone. 
But the more he ordered them not to,
the more they proclaimed it. 
They were exceedingly astonished and they said,
“He has done all things well. 
He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

***

***

There’s an old saying, “No one is so deaf as the one who does not want to hear.”

For example, children can hear the faintest sound of a candy wrapper, but when told to clean their room or to put down their phones, they can become suddenly deaf!

Like all of us, children can have selective hearing, listening to what they want to hear and blocking out what they don’t.

***

Just as school started this week for many children, so today we celebrate Catechetical Sunday, kicking off another year of faith formation. 

Now is not only the time for us to teach our children about Jesus, inspiring them to listen to his voice, but also to recommit ourselves to our faith journey, which began at our baptism.

Appropriately, today’s Gospel serves as a guide on how we should proceed. It begins with the community bringing a deaf and mute man to Jesus, just as we present our children and catechists to the Lord today.

But after Jesus receives this man, he pulls him aside, away from the crowds, into a separate place. This moment of precious intimacy between God and his creation evokes the Garden of Eden, when God was first alone with Adam. 

There in the garden, God created Adam out of nothing; he took him under his wing; spoke to him; and taught him his commands. 

Similarly, Jesus forms this man into a new creation, not only giving him the physical gifts of hearing and speech, but also the grace to listen to his voice. We see the effect this moment had on the man as he leaves, telling everyone what God has done for him.

***

What makes this miracle unique is the fact that Jesus’ words were never translated. Whereas ninety-nine percent of the Gospels were written in Greek, a few words were preserved in their original Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke.

Today’s Gospel contains one of those words: Ephphatha!

“Be opened!”

This word – and Gospel scene – was so precious to the early Christian community that, when a person was baptized, the sign of the cross would be traced over their ears and mouth as the word, Ephphatha, was prayed. 

The community hoped that the newly baptized person would hear the Word of God and proclaim it with their lives.

One of the few other examples where Christ’s words were preserved in their original Aramaic was at the cross, when he cries out: Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachtani! 

“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

***

Why would Christ’s words from these two Gospel scenes never be translated?

Because both of them depict intense suffering. 

***

Jesus felt this man’s pain. It struck a deep chord in his soul. Whereas he healed many with the simple sound of his voice, this man was different.

After digging his finger into the deaf man’s ears, and spitting on his tongue, Jesus, “looked up to heaven and groaned,” crying out, Ephphatha!

Be opened!

It’s as if the Lord could feel in his innards the depths of this man’s pain – years of living in silence; the weight of his isolation; the agony of watching others communicate, while he struggled to form simple sounds.

But above all, Jesus sensed this man’s feeling of being separated from his Creator, much like Adam after the Fall in Eden. 

***

In the Old Testament, disease and disability were seen as divine punishment. If a person were blind, deaf, mute, possessed, or covered in leprosy, then somehow, they deserved it.

We know today this isn’t true. But imagine how crushed this man’s spirit must’ve been – and how his own view of God must’ve been tarnished – by being born deaf and mute.

So, the Lord heals him – both physically and spiritually – causing this man to praise the Lord with full voice.

That’s the mission of this parish, not only on Catechetical Sunday, but every day: to inspire “all generations” to praise the Lord.

***

As the old saying goes, “No one is so deaf as the one who does not want to hear.”

While we can be selective in our hearing, like picking up the faintest sound of a candy wrapper, our mission is to develop an ear for the sweetest thing of all:

The voice of Jesus Christ.

So, how is the Lord inviting you to participate in this mission of making disciples here, today?

***

***

Image credits: (1) The Intersection (2) Christ Healing a Deaf and Mute Man, Domenico Maggiotto (3) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, YouTube

***

Gospel: Luke 5: 33-39

The scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus,
“The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers,
and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same;
but yours eat and drink.”
Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests fast
while the bridegroom is with them?
But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
then they will fast in those days.”
And he also told them a parable.
“No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one.
Otherwise, he will tear the new
and the piece from it will not match the old cloak.
Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins.
Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins,
and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined.
Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins.
And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new,
for he says, ‘The old is good.’”

The Gospel of the Lord.

***

***

Fermentation is the process that turns grape juice into wine. During fermentation, gas is released, causing the wineskins to expand, which is why new, stretchy wineskins must be used. Old skins would rip and tear, as Jesus says in today’s Gospel.

***

What is this “new wine” that the Lord is speaking of? Who are the “wine skins?”

***

Most directly, the Lord is speaking to his Apostles. He longs to pour the “new wine” of his love into their hearts. However, divine love releases grace, causing the human heart and spirit to expand, which at times, can be uncomfortable.

If the Apostles are going to become who Jesus desires them to be – his witnesses, the foundation of the Church, and some of the greatest missionaries of all time – then they must make room, welcoming the “stretchiness” of the Spirit, allowing for intense inner growth.

While this stretching began to occur during their earthly journey with Jesus, as they digested his teachings and witnessed his miracles, their transformation was fulfilled at Pentecost. 

There, they were no longer the same fishermen who dropped their nets on the shores of Galilee three years prior, nor were they the same cowards who fled in fear from Calvary. They were bold; determined; convinced; ready to do the Lord’s will.

***

The Church still needs this type of renewal – stretching – as it seeks to make room for all, both the sinner and the saint.

We need this type of renewal within ourselves, too. How often do our own attitudes, habits, even theology – or understanding of God – become old; rigid; in need of a little stretching?

God will not force any change upon us, certainly anything we are capable of doing ourselves; the Spirit of Love conquers gently. Never by force. As Saint Thomas Aquinas once said, “grace builds upon nature.”

***

So, how open am I to being stretched?

***

In the words of Saint Paul, “May the God who has begun this good work within you bring it to fulfillment.” 

***

***

Image credits: (1) Breakfast with Jesus (2) Wine Making and Beer Brewing Blog (3) Christianity.com

***

Gospel: Luke 5: 1-11

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God,
he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.
He saw two boats there alongside the lake;
the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.
Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,
he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore.
Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,
“Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”
Simon said in reply,
“Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,
but at your command I will lower the nets.”
When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish
and their nets were tearing.
They signaled to their partners in the other boat
to come to help them. 
They came and filled both boats
so that the boats were in danger of sinking.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,
“Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him
and all those with him,
and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
who were partners of Simon.
Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid;
from now on you will be catching men.”
When they brought their boats to the shore,
they left everything and followed him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

***

***

“Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” 

Why did Peter declare himself to be sinful?

After pulling in a miraculous catch of fish, perhaps he recognized he was in the presence of the Divine, provoking a sense of unworthiness.

I often feel similar to Peter while celebrating Mass. The Lord makes himself present in the Eucharist through the use of my voice and hands, leaving me wondering, “Lord, who am I that you would do such great things through me?”

Yet he does morning after morning.

***

Over the years, I’ve learned a lesson which Peter must’ve also learned: when Jesus gazes upon us, he not only sees our weaknesses, more importantly, he also sees the good within us.

***

In Peter’s case, Jesus saw an experienced fisherman – a man with calloused hands who understood the value of perseverance, discipline, and hard work.

He saw a man who was willing trust and take risks. Although Peter just returned from a fruitless night of fishing – and he, not Jesus, was the professional fisherman – Peter willingly dropped his nets at Christ’s command. 

Above all, he saw Peter’s future – the foundation of the Church. The skills and talents which Peter developed over years as a fisherman would soon be deployed in service of the Gospel. 

***

Like Peter, it can be easy for us to focus on our shortcomings. But there’s so much more to each of us, things which the Lord delights in.

What are some of the good things the Lord sees in me? What causes him delight?

***

As Peter will later write to the early Christians, “Put [these] gifts in service of the Gospel” (1 Peter 4:10).

***

***

Image credits: (1) Hendersonville Church of Christ (2) Miraculous Catch of Fish, Raphael (3) Pinterest