Reflection for February 9, 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.”

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Reflection:

How do you react when people praise you for the things that you've done and achieved? Do you gloat over it? Does it increase your sense of self-worth? Do you feel proud and feel that you are head and shoulders above others? These reactions are for those people who have a very high regard for themselves.

Those who are humble when they are praised for the things that they’ve done and achieved would point to God by saying: Thanks be to God, or Praise God. They would always deflect the credit out of themselves and give the glory to God. 

Let us look at the gospel and see the humble actions of Jesus when He was asked to heal the sick man. Instead of healing the sick man in front of the crowd. He took him away from the crowd then He cured him just the two of them. Afterwards, He told the healed man not to tell anyone. 

Many of us, when we've done something worthy, would want the whole world to know about it. This is the reason why several of us always post pictures/videos on Facebook and other social media platforms, which show that we're doing or have achieved something, so that we would have a positive image.

But not Jesus, He would always be non-assuming, self-effacing and low profile.  How about you? – Marino J. Dasmarinas