SUNDAY, TWENTY THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Is 35: 4-7 Ps 146: 7-10 Jas 2: 1-5 Mk 7: 31-37
WELCOMING GOD’S EPHPHATHA IN OUR LIVES
Saint James in the second reading of today, deals with a very pertinent problem faced by the Church of his time, that of distinction based on the wealth and prestige among persons. Unfortunately, such causes of division at the individual, familial and communitarian level, exist even today. We discriminate based on ethnicity, language, caste, rank, social status, educational background and so on.
We are all the products of our times. We are affected and influenced by what we see, hear, experience, understand and misunderstand. External realities leave an internal mark on our minds and consciously or unconsciously dictate our behaviour and judgements. Not one of us can claim to be completely free of prejudices. If not in overtly obnoxious ways, we are at least liable in some small subtle hidden ways. Don’t the mannerisms, habits, and appearance of some appeal to us more than that of others? Don’t we, even within the family, have a softer corner for one member over another for no noble reason? Whether big or small, such prejudices and preferences account for a spiritual handicap. They prevent us from loving others with the pure love that Jesus desires us to love them with.
True Christian charity demands transcending our natural love, going beyond our likes and dislikes and loving others supernaturally. Partiality is a sin which the Bible consistently condemns. Jesus Himself did not show any favouritism to those in authority or those who exhibited a special social status. His preference for the poor, sick and sinners was also not a sign of favouritism but a recognition of them as children of God. He loved them, without despising the others.
After the vision of the sheet with clean and unclean animals, Saint Peter too understood that God shows no partiality, but in every nation any one who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him (Acts 10: 34-35). Saint Paul too learnt that there is no partiality with God (Eph 6:9, Rom 2:11, Col 3:25) and the Jews can expect no favouritism over the Gentiles on the day God judges the world. All have equal dignity, in the sight of God. All that matters are repentance and changing from evil ways
Saint Teresa of Avila desired her Carmelite communities to be characterized by such an impartial spiritual love. “All must be friends, all must be loved, all must be held dear, all must be helped” was her appeal to her nuns. But her own experience had taught her that such love doesn’t come easily. Spiritual love is often mixed with our sensuality and weakness and requires purification, which is a slow but continual process. But purification first requires an acceptance of our handicap, which can be very painful. We have to admit that we do not see, listen, or judge as God does. There exist dark areas that need to be enlightened, blocks which need to be removed, attachments that need to be purified. The acceptance of this handicap makes us aware of the barrenness and dryness that exists in our hearts making us incapable of loving, which can be very humiliating and crushing to our false self-image. Yet, we are not without hope. It is this very honest acceptance that opens us to accept the transforming power of God’s love.
The first reading urges us to have courage. God consoles us by promising to personally come and save us and wipe out the destructive forces within us. A day will come when the words “Ephphatha” will be pronounced on us and we will be healed of our handicaps and will sing and rejoice. And not only we, but all who see us will abound with admiration at God’s work in us. Our hearts which appear to be a dry, barren desert will be filled with the abundance of the living waters of the Holy Spirit. But it will happen at God’s appointed time. Till then we are called to be courageous, firm and constant in our pursuit of the good. He who created us will save us. He has been at work in us right from the moment of our conception and will never abandon us.
Response: My soul, give praise to the Lord.
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