Somehow, we all are a deaf man in the gospel: we couldn’t hear certain words because those words hurt us so badly that we don’t even want to pronounce it such as violence, abuse, sex, loneliness, loser, failure. Likewise, we often want to block our ears not to listen to certain words and certain people because of verbal abuse and ongoing gossip. So we are deaf who has been brought to God by others. Whether people see our impediments in listening and speaking or we see ourselves impeded, we are brought to listen to the Word of God. The Prophet Isaiah says to us, “Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you.”
Let’s look at what Jesus does for the deaf and for us. First of all, Jesus takes the deaf man brought by people off by himself away from the crowd. Jesus wants to encounter the wounded one on one. It is true as well even if you think that you are among others, God is still capable of looking at your heart. You are one on one with God. He can take you off away from the crowd to meet you in the deep level. And Jesus puts his finger into the man’s ears. Why does he do that? Can you hear if someone puts his fingers into your ears? In doing so, the deaf is guided to the spiritual center of his heart by not hearing the outside. Then Jesus spits on his hand and touches the man’s tongue with his spit. Spit comes from the inside and symbolizes the Spirit. Jesus connects his Spirit to the man’s spirit.
Then Jesus looks to heaven. As Jesus’ baptism revealed, the heavens are always opened. God is available; the Holy Spirit is always descending with love. People must look upward. Jesus groans—it is a way of prayer, and say, “Ephphatha!” “Be opened!” This is not addressed to the ears. It is a command to the heart to open to life, truth and God.
Be opened to life! I ask you to be open to life. We need to resist against the “culture of death” where life is threatened by its usage. All life including unborn child, inmates in death row and the people in Iraq and Afghanistan is precious like ours. We need to practice to celebrate life in our daily life. We need to value the procreative relationship as well as the unitive relationship. All love should be open to life. We need to stand up against all kinds of contraceptive mentality that the society promotes. Be opened to life.
Be opened to truth! I ask you to be open to truth. Our first work is to learn, reflect and embody the truth in our growth. We need to excel in academic achievements along with leadership and service to the region and the world. We don’t take a selective way of living truth. We strive to become a truth in the relativistic world. Be opened to truth.
Be opened to God! Man cannot fail to open himself/herself to the divine vocation to pursue his/her own development. God is with us and for us, helping us to find each, unique, and special way of our own life. Without God man neither knows which way to go, nor even understand who he/she is. A humanism which excludes God is an inhuman humanism in which there is no hope. Be opened to God.
I will touch all of you to open yourself to life, truth and God as I look at your eyes in the communion and place the body of Jesus on your hand. And I ask you to touch yourself by placing your hand on your heart after eating the body. Feel the beat; realize the life; see the truth of who you are. And give thanks to God who is dwelling in your heart.
My friends, be opened!