Readings and Gospel for September 6, 2015 (Sunday)

First Reading
Is 35:4-7

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.
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.
For the 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.

Second Reading
Jas 2:1-5

My brothers, show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.  For if a man with gold rings on his fingers and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say, "Sit here, please," while you say to the poor one, "Stand there," or "Sit at my feet," have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil designs?  Listen, my beloved brothers.  Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?

Gospel Reading
Mk 7:31-37

Again he left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis.  And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him.  He took him off by himself away from the crowd.  He put his finger into the man's ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, "Ephphatha!" (that is, "Be opened!")

And immediately the man's ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly.  He 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 hear and the mute speak."

The Word in other words

One Saturday morning I was presiding over a Mass in a convent quite popular among pilgrims.  I was all alone, without ministers, and the church was full.  Immediately I thought that I would have a problem at the distribution of communion.  Fortunately there were some sisters in the church.  So when communion came, I announced ," May I request two young sisters to help in the distribution of communion."

The first sister who came forward was probably the oldest in the community.  I was amused, thinking that the Lord was humoring me because I personally knew the old sister; she was also hard of hearing.  Anyway, I handed her the ciborium and proceeded to give communion together with another younger sister.  In the middle of the communion rite, I accidentally spilled three consecrated hosts to the ground.  At that time my eyes were opened.  I realized how much I had underestimated the old deaf sister, for it was I who acted blindly and carelessly. I whispered a short prayer to the Lord whom I was holding in my hands. "Sorry, Lord," I said, "But thanks for opening my eyes and ears."

The Gospel today speaks to us: "Ephphata!"  Let us be opened to our weaknesses and "blindness," so that we could welcome God's mercy and light in our lives.

- Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD (DWST, Tagaytay City)