Fr. Foeckler’s Lecture Note- Sep 10th, 2024

[Michaela]

Fr. Foeckler’s Lecture Note Sep 10th, 2024

Gospel

Mk 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.”

 

“They were exceedingly astonished and they said”

As you know, someone who was mute for whole life, was not able to learn the language. Some languages are especially hard to master by listening, talking, writing. It always takes time to master it. The muscles need to be adjusted well. Here in the gospel, Jesus by his action and word, opened a deaf’s ear and let him speak plainly. An astonishing miracle.

 

He took the man apart, took him away from the crowd, dealt with him one on one. After he cured him, He asked not to tell people. Messianic secret. Not to announce it, not to tell people.

 

More the miracles get out, more people to come. For Jesus, this is not a problem. Jesus sees a crowd, and St. Mark told that He pitied them. He just tried to keep His identity as the Messiah, but his not only trying to keep His identity as Messiah but also as the Son of God. In Isaiah’s prophesy,

Isaiah 35: 4
Here is your God,

he comes with vindication;

With divine recompense

he comes to save you.

 

Jesus is trying keep this under wrap. At the same time, He’s working His wonders.

How did he cure this person? There is very graphic description about this. The deaf had not hear what his relatives asked Jesus to do. He’s making an effort to open his ears with gestures, showing him what He is doing. Because Jesus is always asked for showing his grace and at the same time, He expect people to show their faith. Power goes out from His body, because His body contains divinity. He has the power of God in his flesh. God’s nature, human nature is all in His body. He was trying to communicate with the man, by His action.

He also wanted to make it as personal encounter with the man, with us. We have to go apart. To pray, go to a room and shut the door. Stay apart. That is what Jesus wanted us to do. He doesn’t just call us to be apart, He also call us to be with Him. Personal relationship. We should go out spend time to talk to Him. Communication is the fundamental requirement to be with Him. Communication is two-fold, express our ideas but at the same time, listen to people. Jesus wants to keep a relationship like He did with the deaf man. Even if the deaf man was with a big crowd, because he was deaf, he cannot communicate with the crowd, and it makes him isolated. To keep a relationship, you need to communicate. Jesus took compassion on this man, make him be able to communicate with people. Jesus took pity one this man. He helped him because he is suffering, that’s why he took him apart. We also have to set aside a time to pray. Jesus wants to know about our sufferings, and wants to help us.

 

Christina: Jesus shows action of love. My actions show who I am. In order to do those things, I have to pray.

 

Michaela: Jesus didn’t show off His miracle. He helps with each one of us, in a way we understand.

 

Regina: Two desires of human being, desired to be healed, and to be helped. Jesus reaches anyone individually.

 

Lucy: Jesus could order not to be deaf, but he didn’t do so. He took time to take action so the deaf can understand him. Take Jesus out of the Bible, make Him a living Jesus, alway stay in God.

 

Agnes: Jesus always invite us to connect with Him. Touching His tongue reminded me of Genesis where God created Adam.

 

Open our ears to the words, open our heart to Him, loosen our tongue to pray.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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