Homily
for September 10, 2006
Liturgical Year B - Cycle II
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Fr. John Carney Topic:
The Gift of Speech
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Gospel
Mk 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.”
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It is obvious that the man, who was healed in this Gospel, had suffered
greatly in his life. He was deaf. He could not hear. He could not
speak. He never was able to train himself to speak because he had never
heard language. That was evident until the 20th century, when
techniques were developed that would help people who were deaf to be
able to communicate with words. One problem, being deaf, became two
problems, being deaf and mute. Additionally, because he couldn’t speak
and express himself, it’s likely he was considered to be dull witted,
dim witted, or stupid. Therefore, one problem became three problems. He
was certainly marginalized. He would have been marginalized by the
culture of the day, which considered physical suffering as God’s
displeasure with you. He must have lived in a world where he was always
the third person singular. Can you imagine that? Someone who is deaf
once wrote a book called Does He Take Sugar? People always talked about
him, in front of him and he was never asked a question himself.
Consequently, one problem became four problems, or even more. This poor
fellow had a tough life.
Hearing and being able to speak are two tremendous gifts. There are so
many gifts we have that we don’t even think about. What a blessing it
is to be able to hear and to be able to speak. Since we can hear, we
can learn more easily, we can understand better and we can grow in
wisdom and knowledge. Considering that we are able to speak, we can
explain ourselves and we can teach others. We have the words that we
can use to comfort, or challenge, or warn, or console others. What two
wonderful gifts these are. How blessed we are that we can hear and
speak.
This Gospel is important to us. It always is, you know. We never need
to listen to the Word of God just to put ourselves back 2000 years. We
always need to make that Word mean something to us today. Deacon Ray
mentioned the prayer, “Be opened”, “Ephphatha”. Do you know that when
we baptize a baby, one of the last parts of the ritual the priest or
deacon says is the Ephphatha Rite? We touch the baby’s ears and the
baby’s mouth, and we say, “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.” Those gifts are given to us to be used. To be used, first and
foremost, to proclaim Jesus as Lord, that one great truth that brings
us here today.
Having the gifts to hear and speak doesn’t mean that we use them well.
Many refuse to speak and many refuse to listen, and that is worse than
being deaf and dumb. In the Gospel reading today from Mark, even the
pagans proclaim Jesus is Lord. As usual, Mark has throughout his
writing, something called the Messianic Secret. It is especially in
Mark’s Gospel. Whenever Jesus is identified as the Lord, through His
miracles or whatever, He says, “Shhh. Don’t tell anybody.” Of course,
they go and tell everyone. How could you not? The reason for this is
that Mark’s Gospel, the shortest of the four Gospels, points to the
cross. Mark wants us to believe in Christ as Lord and Savior, not
because He’s a miracle worker, but because of the cross. He wants us to
be His disciples and to believe in Jesus and Him crucified. Jesus is
not out to win us over by His power. He wants us to become one with Him
in His weakness, especially in His crucifixion, that and the
resurrection.
In any case, the pagans proclaimed, and this happened in Tyre. Back
then, the people of Israel didn’t get along with the people in Tyre.
What else is new? It says that 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.” They proclaimed it. The word Mark uses is proclaim. The
apostles in proclaiming Jesus is Lord always use it. It’s not a
coincidence he uses this word. Even the pagans know He’s Lord.
Therefore, we must use these gifts that we have to proclaim Jesus is
Lord in our lives. That means we have a lot of work to do, by our
thoughts, words, and actions. We need to be busy about discipleship.
Not just sitting back and listening. We need not only to hear, but to
speak. We need to be busy.
There’s a story about a Cardinal Archbishop of Boston, Sean O’Malley.
Shortly after he was appointed Archbishop, his secretary buzzed him on
the intercom and said, “There’s a man out here in the office that
claims to be Jesus Christ. What should we do?” And O’Malley, said, “Act
busy!” We should be busy.
I had to get that joke in. I have had that for about a week, or two, a
month, and I hadn’t been able to fit it in. The whole thing ….. Never
mind.
It takes courage, though, to speak up as disciples. I don’t mean in
that bothersome way. Our job is not to tell others that we are right
and they are wrong. That we’re going to heaven and they’re not. That’s
not our way. It wasn’t Christ’s way; it wasn’t His disciples’ way.
However, if we love Christ, how can we not talk about Him? If you work
someplace, do people know you’re a Christian? Do they know that about
you? Is that an important aspect of who you are? It should be. It’s
difficult. I know we are all blessed to be American. I certainly
believe that with all my heart. Nevertheless, there is a real
reluctance in this society to speak up for our faith. “Don’t discuss
religion or politics,” they say. I was taught that as a child, and I
have been doing it ever since, discussing politics and religion. Just
to give you an example. Have you ever been in a restaurant and blessed
yourself before you eat your meal? Do you do that? Doesn’t it take a
little courage? It does for me. When I am in a restaurant, and I bless
myself, people look at me. I’m thinking, “Do they think I’m some kind
of religious nut? Some kind of fanatic? Do they think I am trying to
impose my beliefs on them? No, I am just trying to thank God for my
grace before meals.”
It takes courage to proclaim Christ. We need to have that courage and
especially our young people. Your words should be those of Christ. You
should be kind and loving. You should not judge people based on their
status or whatever. It is difficult for our kids today. Many kids come
to confession and they say that they are using a lot of foul language.
I say, “What kind of music do you listen to?” Of course, they’re
busted. See, what goes in your ear, comes out your mouth. For penance,
I will often say, “None of that music for a week.” They think, “Oh my
goodness! Father! A whole week!” And they try. You need courage.
“Thus says the Lord, ‘Say to those whose hearts are frightened, “Be
strong and fear not. Here is your God. He comes with vindication, with
divine recompense. He comes to save you.” Then the eyes of the blind
will be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared.’ 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.”