SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 8, 2024 SUNDAY OF THE TWENTY THIRD WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME B
Isaiah 35:4-7
James 2:1-5
Mark 7:31-37
THE RESTORED HOPE AND LOVE OF OUR GOD AND OUR MOTIVATION TO ACT.
The decaying situation of our world leaves everyone guessing when things will be alright and what we can do to achieve a better society. Will we ever experience goodness again in our world in this our time and age? Is there hope for our country Nigeria amid the numerous people who preach and live as Christians? The rising cases of killing, the economic situation and the rate of crime and poverty in our society, is there remedy for these in our lifetime?
The readings of today give us a glimpse of hope and where we could place our trust. In the first reading from the prophet Isaiah, the Israelites were promised a messianic time in which God will restore them to wholeness, and they will experience completeness and sanity. The symbols of such are demonstrated by the prophet today, that the dead will hear, the dumb will speak, waters shall flow from the wilderness and springs in the desert, the burning sand shall become a pool and the thirsty ground shall become springs of water. These are signs of the messianic age.
It only portends that God can change any situation no matter how bad for the better. It is an age when God rules his people and delivers them and they are under his authority and powers. In that era, people will listen to the voice of God, understand God and act and live according to his command. Then Peace will flourish, happiness will blossom and then the people will be happy and fruitful. This is the message of the reign of the messiah.
If I may ask ourselves at this mass, are we in this era, the messianic era already?
If yes, why are we still experiencing all those conditions of the pre messianic era? We need to ask ourselves, again, is it that our God is not with us or that God is not working or that we are not listening?
To show that we are already in the messianic era, in the gospel, Jesus carries out this healing upon a deaf and mute man. His actions depicts the fact that he is the messiah. And the entire New Testament details the salvific messianic actions of Jesus.
First, Jesus comes with compassion, he identifies with the people by visiting them, going to meet them in their situation. He comes into our space and our world, assuming our nature and using the natural things in our sphere to administer healing and blessings into our lives. He does not need to use supernatural resources but rather he raises our natural endowment to the supernatural sphere.
Saint Mark then points to this particular ritual of opening the ears and mouth of the deaf and dumb man stating precisely that Jesus opened the ears of this man by the use of his finger placed in the ear then putting his spittle in the tongue and looking up to heaven, with sighing and proclaiming those powerful words, Ephphatha, which has no likely interpretation in Greek or any other language. Although it means ‘be open’ but it is much more than that since it is word that carries such power of healing. There are other words found in the scriptures that Jesus used, words like, Talitha kum and Eloi Eloi lama sabachthani.
These messianic demonstrations of Jesus tells us that he is capable of changing our condition and our situation for the better and in fact that is what he came to do for us. His mission is to reconcile us with the Father by opening our ears to hear and loosening our tongue to proclaim his works to the world.
He came to activate our senses, by raising them to divine status, and spiritualizing them. When our ears are open to his divine instructions and we begin to listen to him, hear his words, attend to his instructions and do what he desires of us, then our situation will be ameliorated and we will become better again. That is where the messianic mission will be very effective and efficient.
It will move us to act and be like Jesus, listening to God’s word, and acting. Helping the downtrodden, speaking words of comfort, life encouragement and peace to people.
So, in attending to ourselves, James urges us to show no partiality against anyone no matter the social standing of anyone. Treating ourselves equally not discriminating is necessary for a smooth and easy societal development. But when favoritism becomes the rule and norm the obvious is a society that is unjust, wicked, and evil minded.
Listening to God, means therefore attending to ourselves on equal basis. Deriving our power and sustenance from God and relying on God from on high to lead and bless us. This is our only source of salvation and happiness.
Heavenly Father, you sent your Son Jesus Christ to heal our infirmities, restore us to you and bless our days on earth. May our ears be open to his instructions and our tongue proclaim his praises. Grant that we may live happily, in fulfillment of our lives desires through Christ our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno.
