23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
A resource for personal, family and community prayer.
Read
We read the Gospel passage attentively, respectfully and reverently several times aloud and in silence
Gospel Mk.7: 31-37
Vs.31 Returning from the district of Tyre, Jesus went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, right through the Decapolis region.
Vs.32 And they brought him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they asked him to lay his hand on him.
Vs.34 Then looking up to heaven he sighed; and he said to him, “Ephphatha”, that is, “Be opened”.
Vs.35 And his ears were opened, and the ligament of his tongue was loosened and he spoke clearly.
V.36 And Jesus ordered them to tell no one about it, but the more he insisted, the more widely they published it.
Vs.37 Their admiration was unbounded. “He has done all things well,” they said; “he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.”
Background to Gospel passage
Where does it happen?
The Decapolis was a confederation of ten cities north-east of the Jordan river and was a predominantly gentile (non- Jewish) region.
When does it happen?
This passage follows the encounter of Jesus with the courageous Syro-phoenician woman who had challenged him to broaden his mission so as to include the gentile world.
Who is there?
The deaf man and his friends, along with Jesus and his followers.
What Happens?
Through his humble prayer, compassionate presence and healing touch, Jesus liberates the deaf man from his affliction and the associated isolation and loneliness. The likelihood is that he is a Gentile but that makes no difference to Jesus – he is a human being who is suffering and that is enough for Jesus to act. By opening his ears and curing his deafness, Jesus enables him to listen, hear and understand like never before. By loosening his tongue and freeing his speech, Jesus empowers him to express himself verbally – his joys and sorrows – and to participate more fully in the life of the community.
Identify movements of grace or sin in the passage.
- The care and kindness of those who brought the deaf man to Jesus.
- The sensitivity of Jesus who took him aside in private to spare him any embarrassment.
- The self-giving of Jesus manifest in in compassionate presence and healing touch, and humble trust in God.
- The wonder of the opening of the ears and the loosening of the tongue – finding his voice.
- The irresistible urge to share this good news with others.
Recognise
MEDITATION STAGE
Let this beautiful passage speak to your life experience – an event, happening or relationship where you have experienced something similar to what is described in the Gospel. Allow the memory and the passage to get to know each other and discover all that they have in common, until you feel to say, “I recognize this passage! God was in that place and I didn’t see it till now!”
Some Suggested Guidelines for Meditation.
“He took him aside in private, away from the crowd.”
Can you enter into the experience of Jesus by remembering a time when you were moved with compassion for someone suffering in a situation of isolation, fear, or loneliness? Remember how you worked discreetly, respectfully and personally behind the scenes to try to improve their situation.
“He put his fingers into the man’s ears and touched his tongue with spittle.”
Remember how you gave of yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually to relieve the terrible suffering of someone in need.
“And his ears were opened and the ligament of his tongue was loosened and he spoke clearly”.
Can you enter into the experience of the blind man? Who were the Jesus people who responded to your suffering or affliction with remarkable sensitivity and discretion; who ministered to you with great tenderness and reverence – touch, gestures, words, kindness – and restored your faith in God, in yourself and in your future?
Can you remember a life-giving encounter with someone that set your heart free from fear, frustration and loneliness? Someone who helped you to hear the truth of your own situation, to find your voice again and to reengage with new confidence with those around you?
Responding
PRAYER STAGE. Gratitude. Repentance. Petition. We have been so nourished and satisfied by the Word of God that we just feel to respond from the heart to our Heavenly Father in our own words, together with some words or phrases from the passage, where possible.
Sample Prayers. Heavenly Father, thank you for all the liberating work going on in our community, much of it behind closed doors and “away from the crowd.” We thank you for all the Jesus people who give of themselves freely and generously, often in very personal and intimate ways – “putting their fingers in the ears and touching the tongue with spittle”. In them we see your saving work going on among us today.
Heavenly Father, we ask forgiveness for any indifference or neglect of the isolated and marginalized in our communities – “those who are deaf with an impediment in their speech”.
Heavenly Father, help us to build a community where the poor and the afflicted will be at the centre, where “the deaf hear and the dumb speak.” Help us to reach out to them with sensitivity and appreciation -“Taking him aside in private away from the crowd.” May we give of ourselves in a personal way, “putting our fingers into their ears and touching their tongue with spittle”, so that they might experience the healing and liberating power of your love at work today.
Rest-in
CONTEMPLATIVE MOMENT. Let the presence of God take over. There is no need to say anything or to do anything as we enter into a restful silence in His presence – allowing the Father to draw us to himself, to breathe new life into us and empower us for the journey ahead.
In the event of distraction, the repetition of a sacred word or phrase from the passage that holds something of our experience of God’s presence and work in the Gospel story itself and in life experience, eg. “Be opened” can facilitate our journey into greater silence and stillness.
Reflect
WISDOM Moment – New Understanding. Insight. Inspiration. What have we learnt from our journey with this passage? What ‘truths’ of life, of God, of humanity are we seeing for the first time, or more clearly than before? – “the treasure hidden in the field.” Mt13:14. We try to give expression to it, in our own words, in the form of a short, succinct statement – a statement, too, that will be good news for all God’s people no matter what their religion or tradition, recognizing, as we do, that Jesus invites us to “put the lamp on the lampstand where it will shine for everyone in the house”( Mt 5.15). For example, from my meditation on this passage I now see that
‘Compassion hears not only with the ears but with the heart.’
Rest in this truth. Love this truth. Hold it in prayer. Trust that it will bear fruit in your life.
CHILDREN’S LECTIO
on Mark 7:31-37
Read Gospel
DEEPER LISTENING
Jesus reaches out to heal a man who is suffering because he cannot hear or speak. Jesus opens the man’s ears and mouth so that he can live life to the full.
Recognise
GUIDELINES FOR MEDITATION
Can you remember a time when a parent, or teacher, said to you “You are not listening”? You were deaf to what they had to say.
Who are the people in your life who love to hear you express yourself and say all that you have to say?
Can you understand or imagine what it must be like for someone who is not able to hear or to speak?
Respond
PRAYER.
Heavenly Father, thank you for those people who, at different times, have opened our ears to hear the truth.
We ask forgiveness for the times we pretended to be deaf and dumb because we did not want to admit the truth.
We pray that children who cannot hear or speak will always have a special place in our community.
Rest In
Simply rest your heart in silence in God’s love by repeating the word “Jesus.”
Reflect
Think about what you have learnt from this gospel
WISDOM MOMENT: Having two ears and only one mouth is an invitation to listen twice as much as we speak.