HOMILY FOR 23RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME — YEAR B

HOMILY FOR 23RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME — YEAR B

HOMILY THEME: DO I LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF GOD?

Fr. Augustine Ikechukwu Opara

Isaiah 35:4-7, James 2:1-5, Mark 7:31-37

Today’s gospel periscope is one of those extreme helical verses in the bible. Though sounds crazy from a human perspective it’s rather a spiral because of Christ’s actions:
1. Taking the deaf and dumb man aside (protecting him from embarrassment).2. Mixing sand and spittle and putting his fingers into his ears
3. Telling a deaf and dumb man not to tell anyone that, he is healed when it is so open. (Blocking all ostentatiousness)

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However, the readings emphasize hearing and speaking God’s Word. And if we go from that perspective, is it possible that lots of us are deaf and dumb? Crazy question, right?
So, what does God want? The second reading vividly explains that in St James’ ‘manifesto for social justice’; what will be the fulfillment of the prophecy in the first reading from Isaiah- the coming of God’s kingdom. Talking and hearing are very vital in our daily interactions. We cannot imagine a world without ears and mouths; that would change the whole dynamics of communication and comprehension.

While Israel was still in being, the Day of the Lord was a threat, a day of expected punishment. As soon as the axe of the Babylonian exile had fallen, and disaster had come upon the whole of Israel and Judah, the Day of the Lord became a promise of salvation. Hence this lovely, joyful poem, looks forward to the coming of the Lord to heal Israel and take vengeance on her tormentors. It looks forward to the coming of the Lord himself, the Messiah (the Lord’s anointed). Who will express God’s salvation in terms of numerous blessings among which are healing the blind and the deaf, the lame and the mute-the gospel.

The challenge before us today is, do we listen to the voice of God? Or do we just hear God’s voice? Do we let the words of Christ sink into our hearts? Or are they just a stream of words that go into one ear and out through the other? In the Gospel today Christ gives the gift of hearing. The word ‘Ephphatha’ a Greek word preserved in Aramaic could mean ‘open’ and also ‘perceive’. He proclaims, “Be opened” and the ears of the deaf-mute suddenly can listen. Perhaps we need to pray that our own ears might be opened, and we might be able to hear the voice of God piercing through the chatter and clutter of our own culture in our own time.

This is a story about Jesus’ healing power, and in it, we find clues about our understanding of the sacrament. Jesus is the sacrament of God. In him God is active in the world, bringing peace, healing, and joy. In him, people met and experienced the compassion of God. His gestures of putting his fingers into the man’s ears and touching his tongue with spittle are affectionate ways of showing that God is physically at work in him. As we say outward sign of an inward grace or if you like practical sign of an inward grace. We are struck by these physical means used to heal the man, the use of spittle and touch. The Church continues to celebrate the sacraments using physical means.

Finally, my brothers and sisters, the healing of the deaf-mute is a source of hope for many of us today. Many of us are spiritually deaf and dumb. We pray that we might listen to God’s voice in the poor, the lonely, the broken-hearted, and the abandoned. Let us pray that through the sacraments and the word of God, we shall be completely healed.
God bless you!

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