Thoughts to live by: The Vindication of Israel

8 September, 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time:

Readings: Is. 35:4-7; Ps. 146:7, 8-9, 9-10; Jas. 2:1-5; Mk. 7:31-37.

Note from ORDO — The Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is not celebrated this year.

1. 1st Reading, Is. 35: 4-7 — The Vindication of Israel. It is in two stages: the defeat of Israel's enemies, particularly, Edom (see chapt 34); and the restoration of Israel (chapt. 35).

"Say to the fearful of heart: be strong, do not fear! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense, he comes to save you" (v. 4). "Then the eyes of the blind shall see, and the ears of the deaf be opened; Then the lame shall leap like a stag, and the mute tongue sing for joy" (vv. 4-6). We might recall that in Lk. 7:22, John the Baptist inquired through messengers, "Are you he who is to come?" Jesus' answer alluded to Is. 35:5-6, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear...."

2. Isaiah then describes the restoration of Israel with extravagant imagery of the desert transformed into an oasis and marsh of water. "For waters will burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the Arabah. The burning sands will become pools, and the thirsty ground, springs of water; The abode where jackals crouch will be a marsh for the reed and papyrus" (vv. 6-7).

3. Resp. Ps. 146:7, 8-9, 9-10 — The 1st of the 5 hymns concluding the Psalms. "The God of Jacob secures justice for the oppressed, gives bread to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free" (v. 7).

Securing justice for the oppressed, giving bread to the hungry, and setting prisoners free, recall the mission of Isaiah in Is. 61:1. In Lk. 14:6-9, Jesus reads Is. 61:1 as fulfilled in him.

4. "The Lord gives sight to the blind. The Lord raises up those who are bowed them; the Lord loves the righteous" (v. 8). "The Lord protects the resident alien, comes to the aid of the orphan and the widow, but thwarts the way of the wicked" (vv. 7-9). The Psalm describes God's predilection of the poor. The many faces of the poor are summed up generically "orphans, widows, and strangers." It is to them that Jesus proclaims the good news. "The Lord shall reign forever, your God, Zion, through all generations! Hallelujah!" (v. 10).

5. 2nd Reading, Jas. 2:1-5 — James urges his readers not to discriminate against the poor, not to choose the one with fine clothes over the poor with shabby clothes. "Did not the Lord bless the poor as heirs of the Kingdom?"

6. Gospel, Mk. 7:31-37 — The Healing of a Deaf Man. From the Gentile districts of Tyre and Sidon, Jesus went to another Gentile district, Decapolis, by way of the Sea of Galilee. There the crowd begged him "to put his hand" on a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment (vv. 31- 32). Instead of simply putting his hand on the deaf man, he used a curious manner of healing. He took the man aside (v. 33). Since the man could not hear, Jesus "talked" with him through action. He put his fingers into the man's ears. With his spittle, Jesus touched his tongue (v. 33).

7. "Then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, 'Ephphatha!' that is, 'Be opened!'" (v. 34). His was an inward groan that expressed his compassion for the poor man. He groaned as well with the Spirit in prayer (see Rom. 8:23, 26), "looking up to heaven" to his Father on behalf of the handicapped man. "Immediately, the man's ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly" (v. 35). This recalls Isaiah's prophecy of the Messianic times (see our 1st Reading). Mark wants us to know that the Messiah was here.

8. "Jesus 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 to hear and the mute speak'" (vv. 36-37). "He has done all things well." God's creation is "good," but this is more true of his power of redemption.

9. Prayer — O God, by the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of your Son, you have made us a new creation and have sent us forth. Open our ears, Lord, that as disciples we may listen to your word. Open our lips that as apostles we may proclaim your wondrous deeds and your Gospel to others. This we ask, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Prayers, best wishes, God bless!