Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,
Happy Sunday! In today’s Gospel, we witness Jesus performing a profound miracle by healing a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment. Jesus, with a simple command, “Ephphatha” — “Be opened,” not only restores the man’s hearing and speech but also offers us a deeper lesson. This physical healing is a sign of what He desires to do in our lives: to open our ears to His voice and free us from spiritual deafness.
Spiritual deafness happens when we allow the world’s noise to drown out God’s voice. We know the Church’s teachings and hear the moral guidance of Christ, yet the pressure and distractions of the world can make us turn a deaf ear to them. Whether it’s the acceptance of societal norms that conflict with our faith or the busyness of life that keeps us from prayer, we all face challenges in truly listening to God.
Jesus calls us to take time alone with Him, to step away from the crowd as He did with the deaf man. In solitude and prayer, we can ask Jesus to open our ears and hearts, allowing us to hear His voice clearly. God speaks to us in many ways: through the Scriptures, through the wise counsel of others, in the circumstances of our lives, and in the quiet promptings of our conscience. But to hear Him, we must make an intentional effort to reduce the noise and distractions that fill our daily lives.
Let us pray for the grace to be spiritually open, to hear the voice of Jesus guiding us, comforting us, and leading us on the path to holiness. May we respond with faith and obedience, trusting that His voice will always lead us closer to Him.
Jesus, please help me to hear.
Yours In Christ,
Deacon Darryl
