Dear Friend of Carmel Mission,
Today in the Gospel Jesus heals a deaf man, restoring his hearing and his speech. Consider for a moment the plight of this person. Living in a largely aural-oral society, he would have been at a severe disadvantage, isolated at best, and potentially ridiculed and shunned. Fortunately for him, a few of his compassionate friends bring him to Jesus. It is interesting that Jesus takes the man off away from the crowd for the intimate act of healing. Imagine what it was like to hear for perhaps the first time, to be able to speak and communicate clearly? It was no doubt an overwhelming experience. It certainly was for the astonished crowd who, even when enjoined by Jesus to not speak of it, could not keep from proclaiming the miracle far and wide.
The opening of the ears and freeing of the voice is a clear metaphor for all who are deaf to God’s word, or mute when called to proclaim it. Certainly we can all recognize moments when this was true for us. In our modern world, our deafness can be caused by our inundation and saturation by the discordant sounds that surround us. So many noises compete for our attention, our phones, our televisions, the internet, social media, the list goes on. In the midst of all that noise it can be difficult to discern God’s voice. Jesus’ command, “Be opened!” could mean for us, be still! Take time to silence the noises that deafen us and listen for the words that bring life. Prayer is one of the ways I quiet the noise around me, and in my own mind, to be able to hear God’s voice. It is also how I find the courage to raise my voice, and the focus to put God’s word into action.
I invite you to join me this week in quieting the noise in our lives to open our ears and our hearts to God’s words of love.
I wish you and your loved ones continued blessings of good health, renewed hope and great peace,
Fr. Paul
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