23rd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME B
LEARN FROM “JOJO” (Mark 7: 31-37)
One time, I joined my friends who served in the orphanage. There, I found many handicap people: blind, deaf, mute, paralyse, etc.
One thing that calls my attention was my interaction with one child who deaf and mute. He can not speak and can not listen. So, our conversation was only with the clear symbols. For instance, to say eat we imitated how we take the spoon and put in the mouth. Or, to say drink with making the sign how we raise the glass and put in our mouth.
These examples are the common signs and always we use to communicate with them. I was very happy when he understood my signs I made. And, what I admire was his reaction when he understood my communication. He smiles and looks at me. He was very happy.
In today’s Gospel, we see the same person who tries to communicate with Jesus. The people bring him to Jesus. I think that even the person bring him to Jesus he himself cannot say something to Jesus. His mouth and ears are blocked so that he cannot speak and listen. Here, we find this limitation that makes him unable to communicate.
Jesus, in the same way, comes to the world to liberate us, to liberate him, from our disability of communication. The presence of Jesus is important particularly to break down this wall. In the old testament, this wall is our sin. Sins make us unable to establish the relationship with God. What does Jesus do for this person?
First, Jesus brings him away from the crowd. In the other sign or miracle, Jesus heals the sick people in public place so that many people can see it. But, here, it is different. Jesus wants to make another way because this person has a particular situation. Jesus cannot communicate with him in a usual way. Bringing him to a particular place is the way to communicate with him.
Second, Jesus touches him: put his finger into the man’s ears, spits, touches his tongue, look up to heaven and groan and said Ephata, be opened.
Touching this man is a sign of the presence of God. Jesus not only presents physically but also spiritually. That’s why Jesus here heals him with action more than with words. Jesus’ presence is the sign of the presence of God. God is not He who stays long from us, but He who stays with us. God who becomes flash.
At the end of this Gospel, we see the joy of this man and the people around. Joy because this man can listen and speak, and joy because they can communicate with him. So, now he is not another part of them again but he is a member of their community. I imagine how great this joy and how great our Lord who makes us joy with this man.
Pope Francis in many occasion invites us to celebrate our joy of being Christian, being Catholic, being the follower of Jesus Christ. So, one question for all of us, how about our life? How we celebrate our joy of being healing by Jesus from our deaf and mute, our disability of communication?
One week ago, we just finished the Asian Games. I was admired with what the badminton player of Indonesia Jonathan Christie--called Jojo--did when he won the game. He made the sign of the cross in front of many people in the tribune. This is a good example because he expressed his joyful moment in front of the others. We can share our joy of being Catholic, Christian, etc.
Let us go on and ask the help of Jesus so that we can celebrate also our joy with this man who deaf and mute.
Gordi SX
