Reflection for February 13 Friday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 7:31-37

Gospel: Mark 7:31-37

Again Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him off by himself away from the crowd.  

He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and 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.  

He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it. They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

+ + + + +  + +

Reflection:

Have we ever witnessed a healing session?

Some of us may have already seen healing sessions on television where an individual in a wheelchair is suddenly able to walk, the blind are able to see, and those who cannot speak are able to speak again. At times, we may wonder if these healings are real because, according to some exposés, a number of these healings were staged. In some cases, the individuals who appeared sick were not actually sick; they only pretended to be and were reportedly members of the group conducting the healing sessions.

In the Gospel, however, we are presented with an authentic and deeply personal healing performed by Jesus. A deaf man who had a speech impediment was brought to Him for healing. To make a long story short, Jesus healed the deaf man—he was able to hear and speak again.

Jesus and the man moved away from the noisy crowd, and when they were alone, Jesus performed the personal healing. He put His fingers into the man’s ears and, after spitting, touched the man’s tongue. Then He looked up to heaven, groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!”—that is, “Be opened!” Immediately, the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke clearly.

In this moment, we see not only the power of Jesus to heal but also His deep desire for a personal encounter with each one of us. Jesus did not seek attention. He did not perform the healing to impress the crowd. Instead, He chose intimacy. He chose closeness. He chose a one-on-one encounter that restored not only the man’s body but also his dignity and wholeness.

Today, we may still ask: Is it possible for us to experience this personal, one-on-one healing encounter with Jesus? Yes, it is. When we come prayerfully to Holy Mass, or when we make a quiet and sincere visit to our church’s Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel, we place ourselves in His loving and healing presence. Jesus is there, personally waiting for us—to heal us of our sicknesses, our hidden wounds, our fears, and our pains.

If only we would open our hearts to the healing and calming presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament… If only we would set aside even a small portion of our time to be with Him… We, too, can experience our own Ephphatha moment.

Then our hearts and minds can be opened to a deeper faith, a renewed hope, and a stronger love through our personal and wondrous encounter with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and with Jesus at Holy Mass.

Today, Jesus is still saying to us, “Ephphatha—Be opened.” Will we allow Him to open our hearts, heal our hidden wounds, and transform our lives if we truly come to Him and stay with Him?— Marino J. Dasmarinas