Homily for Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 5th September, 2021

 Homily for Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 5th September, 2021

Readings:  Is.35:4-7; Ps.146; James 2:1-5; Mark 7:31-37

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LORD OPEN THE EARS AND MOUTH OF HUMANITY ONCE AGAIN TO HEAR AND LIVE BY YOUR WORDS

Reflecting on the ugly situation of human life in this world, especially how people pay attention to the things of this passing world at the expense of the things of God, how the world has engaged our attention to herself that we have now become deaf and dump to things that concerns our spiritual life. Yes we go to Church as often as possible, we engaged in one spiritual activity or another. 

But the questions that comes to mind are: do we really listen and hear God speaking to us through those activities? Do we still see the hands of God in what we do? Are we really convinced of what we are doing in the house of God? Are we confused about our faith as a result of the ugly events and scandals we experience and hear everyday? The world really wants us to be deaf to the word of God and mute to speak the great things God is doing for us. This is evident in our daily activities where humanity paid deaf hears to the instructions of God by allowing herself to be deceived by the excess desires and attachment to things of this passing world and as a result of this ugly attitude separate ourselves from the presence of God out of pride and selfishness.

Thus, today in our Gospel passage, we hear how Jesus dramatically and figuratively wishes to heal us of our deafness and dumbness caused by our constant embracing of the sinful things of this passing world which is well demonstrated in the healing of the deaf and dumb man. A man who represents the deafness and dumbness of humanity towards the word of God. Hence, when this deaf and dumb man was brought to Jesus for healing. He took the man aside, puts his fingers in his ears, touches his tongue with spittle, looks up to heaven and prays saying, " Ephphatha! Be opened". Immediately the man’s ears were opened, his tongue loosed and he is able to speak plainly. 

This same words are use during baptism while touching the ears and lips of the baptized, a gesture that signifies the spiritual openness of one’s heart to God’s words and will. For our hearts are often deaf to God’s words, because of our excess attachment to things of this world. And our mouths are also sealed by corruption, greed and sinful habits we have embraced. But in our baptism we are brought to Christ just like this deaf and dumb man for healing and restoration, so that we can hear the words of God and apply them in our lives and also express them to all humanity by our words and actions.

Dear friends, out of pride and greediness we have often separated ourselves from the presence of God and as a result, we have become deaf and dumb to his teachings and instructions. Hence, we all need to have our ears  once again so that we can hear and understand fully the message of Jesus and share it to the world. I don’t know how far we have separated ourselves from God as a result of sin, I don’t know how deep our deafness and dumbness are, all I know is that today God is saying to us, fear not, have courage for the eyes of the blind shall be opened, ears of the deaf unstopped and the tongue of the mute shall sing for joy. 

All we need is to trust God no matter the affliction we are passing through in this world, for he is able to save us from them all. Just as we heard prophet Isaiah in our first reading saying: Say to all faint hearts, ‘Courage! Do not be afraid. Behold, your God is coming, vengeance is coming, the retribution of God; he is coming to save you. Then, the eyes of the blind shall be opened, the ears of the deaf unsealed, then the lame shall leap like a deer and the tongues of the dumb sing for joy; for water gushes in the desert, streams in the wasteland, the scorched earth becomes a lake, the parched land springs of water. And St James in our second reading tells us not to try combining faith in Jesus Christ with the making of distinctions between classes of people for God has chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of his Kingdom.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, our strong desire for the things of this passing world has made us so deaf and dumb towards your words. Let us hear your voice once more saying to us “Ephphatha, be opened”, so that we can hear your words deep down our hearts and joyfully proclaim it to all humanity through our actions. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy Sunday