Every Sunday, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click HERE for the readings.
Two older men were talking with each other. One of them was bragging about his new hearing aid. He said, “My new hearing aid is the best and most expensive hearing aid that money can buy.” His friend said, “That’s great. What kind is it?” The man replied, “It’s five past two.”
Today’s Gospel is about a man with a hearing problem, which also caused him to have a speaking problem. The poor man was both deaf and mute.
Quickly enough Jesus healed this man, and for the first time, the man could not only hear the parables of Jesus, but he could also tell them to others. The man became an evangelist for Christ, being able to tell what he had heard.
But the Gospel is for everyone’s benefit, including our own. It speaks to all of us who have a hard time hearing God. And just like the man in the Gospel, if we cannot hear God, how can we talk about God?
So often we like to hear ourselves speak. That can be dangerous. What is required is that we first hear God speak to us. Then, and only then, can we tell what we have heard: God is love. Only when we hear that Jesus is the Christ, can we begin to believe in him and then speak of him.
This seems simple enough. But then look at the second reading from the Letter of James. God is speaking to us in that portion of scripture. How many of us actually hear what is being said to us by God. What is God saying? God tells us that everyone has equal dignity. Do we hear it? God says that the rich are no better than the poor. In fact, God chooses the poor of this world to become rich in faith, just as he promises to all of us who love him.
That is the message of justice that we are asked to proclaim. The poor and the rich must be welcomed equally at our table and into our communities. It might be difficult to accept, and even harder to do, but at least we must hear what God is telling us. Otherwise, we are as deaf and mute as the man was at the beginning of today’s Gospel.
May we have spiritual ears to hear what God wants us to say and do.
Have a blessed week everyone.