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Home > Catholic Daily Reflections > Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B - Be Opened!
Podcast: Catholic Daily Reflections
Episode:

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B - Be Opened!
Category: Religion & Spirituality
Duration: 00:03:01
Publish Date: 2018-09-08 11:00:05
Description: “Ephphatha!”— that is, “Be opened!”  Mark 7:34b

These are powerful words.  Why are they powerful?  They are powerful because they are more than words.  They are words that actually accomplish what they say.  These words are spoken by Jesus after the deaf man is brought to Him with the request for healing.  By saying the command “Be opened!” the deaf man’s ears are opened and his speech impediment is removed. 

When Jesus speaks, His word changes things.  This is true in this story but it is also true in our lives.  We all are deaf and struggle with a speech impediment in the sense that we do not always hear the voice of God and we do not always speak His word and words of charity.  For that reason, these words of Jesus must be spoken to us.  We must let Him take us off to a quiet place alone and speak to us.  We must let Him say those words to us.  “Ephphatha!–Be opened!” 

What is it that you are not hearing properly?  What is it God has been saying to you for a long time that you refuse to hear?  What is it you have allowed yourself to become deaf to?  Let our Lord open the “ears” of your heart so that you can hear all that He wishes to say to you.  Once that happens, Jesus will also help you speak His words of truth and love. 

Reflect, today, upon how open you are to hearing the voice of God.  We all struggle at times with listening, and we especially may struggle listening to God.  Spend some time alone with our Lord and let Him heal you so that you can hear and understand all that He is saying to you.

Lord, I do not always listen to You.  Please speak Your words of healing to me so that I can hear You more clearly. In hearing You, may I listen to all that You have to say.  Jesus, I trust in You.
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