Year of Saint Joseph
Year of the Family "Amoris Laetitia The Joy of Love"
Saints: Saint Herbert (d. 687); Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997)
Readings of the Day
RB: Prologue 33-38
Mass: is 35:4-7a; Resp Ps 146; Jm 2:1-5; Mk 7:31-37
Praise the Lord, my soul!
HE MAKES THE DEAF HEAR AND THE MUTE SPEAK.
(Mk 7:37)
I have been thinking about Mary of Magdala this morning, when she went to Jesus' tomb, on the first day of the week, early in the morning while it was still dark. You know the scene found in John 20:11-18. Mary was distressed, weeping about finding the tomb empty. She feared that others had taken her Lord, and she did not know where they laid him. When she first turned around and saw Jesus, she did not recognize him. It wasn't until Jesus called Mary's name, "Mary!", that she recognized her Lord. Mary heard and Mary listened, then she spoke, "Rabbouni," which means Teacher. Then Mary could announce to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord" (Jn 20:18).
Maybe there are others to join me in joining Mary of Magdala. We too find that our eyes are closed. We find our hearts closed due to fear, grief, bitterness, resentment, disappointments, and so on. So burdened we can't hear or listen either. However, Say to those whose hearts are frightened, says the Lord through the mouth of the Prophet Isaiah, Be strong, fear not! Here is your God ... He comes to save you (Is 35:4). The eyes of the blind will be open, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will speak (Is 35:5-6). Ephphatha!, Jesus says to the deaf man who had a speech impediment, in today's Gospel. That is, Be opened! (Mk 7:34). May we, with the man, have our ears opened and all speech impediments removed (Mk 7:35).
We need to practice the art of listening, which is more than simply hearing. Listening, in communication, is an openness of heart which makes possible that closeness without which genuine spiritual encounter cannot occur. Listening helps us to find the right gesture and word which shows that we are more than simply bystanders. Only through such respectful and compassionate listening can we enter on the paths of true growth and awaken a yearning for the Christian ideal: the desire to respond fully to God's love and to bring to fruition what he has sown in our lives.
(Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium The Joy of the Gospel, 171)
And we pray with Pope Francis as in today's Angelus Address: May the Blessed Virgin Mary, who was open to the Word which became flesh in her, help us every day to listen to her Son in the Gospel and to our brothers and sisters with a docile heart, with a patient heart, and with an attentive heart.
MARY KEPT ALL THESE THINGS, REFLECTING ON THEM IN HER HEART.
(Lk 2:19)
SAINT HERBERT,
SAINT MOTHER TERESA OF CALCUTTA,
SAINT JOSEPH,
PRAY FOR US.
Today's photo: As I was writing, this glorious photo came through, from d and J in West Linn, OR, at Luscher Farms, a community garden also in West Linn.
© Gertrude Feick 2021
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