FRIDAY OF THE 5TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

11TH FEBRUARY 2022

Lessons from the Miracle at Decapolis

1 Kings 11: 29-32; 12:19, Psms 81, Mark 7:31-37

• In today’s Gospel, as Jesus is going through the region of Decapolis, He heals a man who cannot speak and hear. After the community brings the man to Jesus; He takes the man away from the crowd; puts His fingers into the ears, then makes spittle and touches his tongue. Jesus then looks up to heaven and breathes deeply and groans: “Ephphatha! Or be opened!” The man receives instant healing through the hands of Jesus; he could now hear and speak. Jesus then charges all not to tell anyone.

• What do we learn from this Gospel Episode;

1. WE DO NOT HAVE TO PARADE OUR GOOD DEEDS

- The style of Jesus is to accomplish earth-shaking things in the most inconspicuous manner; he asks those he heals not to speak of it to anyone.

- Good deeds have an eloquence of their own. Mathew 6:1 says; “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.”

2. BLESSINGS AND GIFTS THROUGH THE HANDS OF JESUS

- The man in the Gospel receives the dual miracle of being able to hear and speak though the Hands of Jesus. Each day blessings flow from the hands of God to us, sometimes even without our knowledge.

- In turn, though our hands, blessings and good deeds can be extended to others. Our many natural abilities, which we often take for granted, are really most precious gifts from God.

- Each of us can make a long list of blessings and abilities which come to us from the hands of God. Our hearing and speech are tremendously valuable assets and gifts beyond all material measure. May we use all the blessings and gifts that we have received from the hands of God to serve Him and our neighbour.

3. WHAT DO WE USE OUR HEARING AND SPEECH CAPACITIES FOR?

- Do we listen to constructive conversations; do we speak of things that are constructive? Do we listen to the cry of the needy and do we speak for the weak and marginalized?

- May we ask the Lord to help us to avoid gossip and make us the voice of what is right, just and truth. May God help us to be a people who are interested in setting-aside-time, to listen to Him through his Word.

4. WE NEED TO BELONG TO A CERTAIN COMMUNITY

- Community has a great role in the formation and support of a person. In the Gospel episode, we see the role of a community as intercessor. The deaf man does not take the initiative to go to Jesus or make request to Him. But it is the people who became his intercessors; they ‘bring’ him to Jesus and ‘beg’ him to place his hands on him. Jesus accepts their intercession and responds positively.

- To which community do you belong to? What is your support system? Which community of people can intercede and support you during the time of need? Do you belong to a Family, a Jumuiya a Church Group or a Chama of friends?

May Jesus touch the ears of our heart and loosen our tongues so that we may hear his life-giving words and proclaim how our loving God is working in our lives every day.