First reading 1 Kings 11:29-32,12:19
Solomon is unfaithful; the Lord moderates his wrath
One day when Jeroboam had gone out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah of Shiloh accosted him on the road. Ahijah was wearing a new cloak; the two of them were in the open country by themselves. Ahijah took the new cloak he was wearing and tore it into twelve strips, saying to Jeroboam, ‘Take ten strips for yourself, for thus the Lord speaks, the God of Israel, “I am going to tear the kingdom from Solomon’s hand and give ten tribes to you. He shall keep one tribe for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.’
And Israel has been separated from the House of David until the present day.
Responsorial Psalm 80(81):10-15
R. I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.
“There shall be no strange god among you
nor shall you worship any alien god.
I, the LORD, am your God
who led you forth from the land of Egypt.”
“My people heard not my voice,
and Israel obeyed me not;
So I gave them up to the hardness of their hearts;
they walked according to their own counsels.”
“If only my people would hear me,
and Israel walk in my ways,
Quickly would I humble their enemies;
against their foes I would turn my hand.”
Gospel Mark 7:31-37
‘He makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak’
Returning from the district of Tyre, Jesus went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, right through the Decapolis region. And they brought him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they asked him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, put his fingers into the man’s ears and touched his tongue with spittle. Then looking up to heaven he sighed; and he said to him, ‘Ephphatha’, that is, ‘Be opened.’ And his ears were opened, and the ligament of his tongue was loosened and he spoke clearly. And Jesus ordered them to tell no one about it, but the more he insisted, the more widely they published it. Their admiration was unbounded. ‘He has done all things well,’ they said ‘he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.’
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Ephphatha! Be opened!
Jesus, looking up to heaven, sighed and said, “Ephphatha”. Jesus came to open not only the ears of the deaf or the tongue of the dumb but also to open the hearts of the people. In our times, there continue to be many people who do not want to hear the cry of the suffering and do not want to see the realities of those around them who struggle to live. Today, Jesus tells us, “Be open!” Do not remain in your comfort zone, in your world, thinking that there is no way out of your problems. Be open to the reality of others and realise that for God, nothing is hopeless and everything has a solution because He is present, He is in us and His door is always open for us.
Lord, open my eyes to see You in me, to hear You, and to see others with your eyes.
Lord, open my eyes to see You in me, to hear You, and to see others with your eyes.
Reflective question:
Are my heart and my ears open to hear the needs of others?
Are my heart and my ears open to hear the needs of others?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year B” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
