9 February, 2024 | Friday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

 Reading : 1 Kgs 11:29-32; 12:19

Gospel Mk 7:31-37

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."

Reflection:

In the gospel, we have Jesus healing a deaf man who also had an impediment in his speech. Today, this man can be a symbol of the people of God who are deaf to the voice of the Lord and whose mouths do not give the Lord glory and praise.

In healing the man's deafness and his speech impediment, Jesus showed that He came so as to open their ears so that they can listen to the voice of the Lord, and He came to open their mouths so that they can sing praises and give thanks to the Lord. Jesus came to forgive and to save and turn our hearts back to God, so that our ears can hear again what God has to say to us and with our mouths and actions we may  respond according to God’s will

Activity:

Sspend some time in thanking and praising God for all the wonders done in your life.