23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Ephphatha! Be Opened!
The words of today’s Gospel are echoed in the liturgy for Baptism. Touching the ears and the mouth, the celebrant prays: The Lord Jesus made the deaf hear and the dumb speak. May he soon touch your ears to receive his word and your mouth to proclaim his faith to the praise and glory of God the Father. God’s word of love is spoken to us.
We pray that we will be open to the God who loves us and calls us to walk with Him and one another, enabling us to receive His great promises. He comes to save, to open the eyes of the blind, the ears of the deaf, and allow the lame to leap!
Each time we come together to celebrate the Eucharist, we encounter the Lord, inviting us to be strong and fear not, for he is with us, touching us with His presence and opening our ears to hear his Word and call in our lives. That Word and call challenge us to be open to the cry of the poor. And yet, so often, we can become deaf to that cry!
The reading from James cautions us to reflect on how we see and act toward one another. The lure of wealth and social status, and making it by society’s standards at times, make it difficult for us to hear God’s word and understand his vision. And that vision is a human society in which everyone can live a truly human life with dignity, freedom, and acceptance regardless of race, religion, or nationality.
Whose cry do I need to hear today? To whom do I need to speak a word of acceptance? Who do we need to invite to our Eucharistic table?
Prayer:
Lord, we ask you to touch us with your healing love so that we may hear the cry of the poor in our homes, neighborhoods, and world. May your Spirit enable us to speak words of comfort, hope, and acceptance to those most in need. Amen.
