Reflection for the Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Be strong, trust that our blindness will turn into light...

Today’s first reading and the gospel are deeply connected. We are told to be strong that our heart will guide us to be open to the Lord’s call to listen and respond. Both readings direct us to be strong so we will be liberated of our blindness, we can be saved and be able to sing God’s power to proclaim how blessed we are to hear in our heart the wonderful news of God’s Providence!

Mark’s message tells the story of the person who was deaf.  That Jesus took the person aside and put His finger into her ears and spitting touched her tongue.  In baptism we received the very same ritual of our ears and tongue being touch so as to hear and shout with joy the Lord’s wonderful blessings.

Let us ask the Lord’s blessing so as to hear the words of Providence and witness the Word alive moving us to sing about the Good News. Be strong, trust that our blindness will turn into light.  Let Jesus bring us apart so as to hear and witness what has been done to us.

Sister Rose Ann Blair, CDP

Reflection for the Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

"Ephphatha!" - that is, "Be opened!"

He 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.

We hear the word “Ephphatha” every time we baptize and welcome a new member into our Catholic church family.  Since most of us were baptized as infants, we don’t remember that.  This Sunday’s gospel reading reminds us all that we too are needing our ears to be opened to hear—to hear the birds singing and waves crashing, to hear the voices of family members and friends in need, and to hear the cries of the women and children in detention, in human trafficking, and all who are seeking refuge from oppression of any kind throughout the world.  With “new ears,” we are called, through our baptismal call to be bold in being a voice for the voiceless, to hear and speak the truth, to remove all the impediments that are in our heads and hearts that keep us from speaking.  We are called to speak plainly!

Sister Rose Kruppa, CDP