Fr. Gerald Musa Homily for Friday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle II (1)

Fr. Gerald Musa Homily for Friday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle II

Theme: Healing Ear & Tongue

By: Fr. Gerald M. Musa

Homily for Friday February 11 2022

An African proverb says, “To sing to the deaf, to talk with the dumb, and to dance for the blind are three foolish things.” However, Jesus spoke the language of kindness which every kind of person, including the deaf and dumb could hear. They brought a man to Jesus. The man was deaf and had difficulties in speaking. It is tough to live without the ability to hear or speak well. They begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man, but Jesus did something different. He took the man out of the crowd, put his finger into the man’s ears, spat and touched his tongue, looked up to heaven and sighed, “Ephpatha” (be opened). Immediately, the man received his power of speech and sense of hearing. The work of Jesus is a fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah: “Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the dumb will sing” (Isaiah 35:5-6). We may not be physically deaf and dumb, but we may be suffering from spiritual deafness and dumbness. Spiritual deafness being stubbornness and refusal to listen or take God’s word seriously; and spiritual dumbness as the refusal to speak out in defending what is right and just, as well as rejecting the duty of proclaiming the Good News. How well do we use our ears and tongues?

Mark 7:31-37; Friday, 5th Week