Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 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.”
Characteristics of 21st-Century “deaf-mutes”
1. Mute. This describes someone who holds back their true feelings and doesn’t express them because they’re afraid. They find it hard to open up, often feeling inferior and thinking no one would care to listen or understand, anyway. Instead of sharing, they try to work through everything in their own mind and always say, “I’m fine, nothing’s wrong.” This often leads to a constant, nagging feeling of being watched or judged; they’re haunted by their own thoughts almost as if they’re always on trial. When silence is mixed with anger or fear, it keeps you stuck in place, isolated, trapped in a bubble while the world continues moving on around you.
2. Deaf. There are two types here. First, there’s the person who ignores anything inconvenient, only hearing what suits them. This is “selective hearing” or “selective deafness”. They reject anything they dislike and love to play the victim, insisting that others are against them. This kind of deafness comes from pride; they create a world where they control who is allowed in, based on what they choose to listen to.
The other kind is deafness caused by past hurts. This person has been scarred by life and overwhelmed by harsh words, leaving them disoriented and fearful of listening, worried they’ll be hurt again. They withdraw, not because they’re proud, but because they’re wounded. They feel used or manipulated, and in their search for peace, they close themselves off, as their “spiritual ears” have been battered by negativity and cruelty.
3. Ephphatha. This word means “Be opened!” When Jesus enters your life, He opens your heart to new possibilities and encourages you to truly live your life. It’s a call to recognize that you only have one life to live, and you’re meant to embrace it fully. Express your feelings because you are valuable—a child of God. No one is above or below you. Remember, God gives you a fresh opportunity to find happiness every day. Be open to new experiences, speak honestly, and share your story, because your contribution matters here as well. Come on! When you listen to and speak with God, heaven is your goal.
Remember that something good is on the way!
God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
