Mark 7:31-37: The Deaf
Tuesday, August 15, 2023
Ottheinrich Folio: Jesus Heals a Man who is Deaf and Mute
And it happened. The man’s hearing was clear and his speech plain—just like that.
We rise in the morning to greet another day . . . just like that.
We move through our communities without major mishap . . . just like that.
We have enough to eat and enough to drink . . . just like that.
We have health care, networks, access to information . . . just like that.
We interact with family, friends and colleagues . . . just like that.
We lay tired heads on plump pillows . . . just like that.
For those of us on the planet who have received the gift of so much, including the gift of hard work that allows us to enter into the marketplace to compete fairly with others, we must remember that despite all our thinking otherwise, all that we have is by the grace of God . . . just like that.
For those of us on the planet who are hampered and even imprisoned and murdered by unjust regimes, we must remember that despite all the solidarity God’s people might muster, all that they were promised has been taken away . . . just like that.
As we move through our day giving thanks for the words we hear, let us remember that despite all the rancor they may contain, we might allow God’s love to transform the world’s hatred into joy when we remember the Law of Love that Jesus shows us through the miracle of healing . . . just like that.
As we move into the evening giving thanks for the words we use, let us remember that despite all the wisdom they may contain, they may easily fall on deaf ears . . . just like that.
And so we pray.
Wise and gentle God, knowing that all that we have and all that we are comes from you, remind us to keep eyes, ears and hearts open in gratitude to you.
Strong and persistent God, understanding that words – whether spoken or unspoken – are powerful instruments of both fear and love, remind us to measure our words and be mindful of their effect.
Merciful and loving God, believing that truth endures beyond lies, integrity outlives deceit, and love is greater than any evil, remind us that our very existence relies on your compassion and fidelity.
We ask this through Christ our Lord, the healer of all that is wrong, the bearer of all that is praiseworthy. Amen.
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Image from: https://catholicexchange.com/
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