Is 35:4-7a; Jas 2:1-5; Mk 7:31-37
The bible tells us that God would like to heal people from their impediments such as deafness, muteness, blindness and others. Jesus healing miracles were a sign of God’s intervention, the fulfillment of his promise to the people of Israel. In the first reading, God says: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy” (Is 35:4-6).
We feel sad for people who are deaf, mute, lame, or blind. Yet, we trust that God has a special plan for them. They continue to represent God’s favored children, and with their strong faith and joyful spirit, they could be superb witnesses of the kingdom of God.
A crippled man from birth was asked, “Do you believe in God?”
“Yes, of course,” he said.
“How do you think could a loving God allow a serious physical disability to happen to an innocent man like you?” the interrogator challenged him.
And the crippled man replied with honest conviction: “So that the world may know that happiness does not come from perfection.”
To be truly happy, a person doesn’t have to possess everything. He or she only needs a heart of a child or the heart of a true disciple.
In our second reading, James says that “God has chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him” (Jas 2:5). If you ask a poor Filipino how he managed to feed and educate his children despite a low income, the Filipino would likely tell you, “Sa awa ng Diyos” (which means “Through the mercy of God”). Normally, people who do not have enough resources for food or who do not have enough money to see a doctor, would manifest strong faith in the goodness of God. In contrast, rich people, though not all, would tend to trust more on their resources and less on God.
That God would show favor to the poor and the less fortunate is the good news of the entire Scripture. The Psalmist highlights it: “The Lord executes justice for the oppressed; gives food to the hungry; opens the eyes of the blind; lifts up those who are bowed down; watches the strangers, upholds the orphan and the widow. . . ” (Ps 146:7-10).
God’s preferential option for the poor is manifested fully in the life and ministry of Jesus. In the gospels, the Lord gives most of his time for the poor and the marginalized, the sick and the downtrodden. For example, in today’s narrative, Jesus took the deaf mute away from the crowd in order to give him individualized attention. The people only asked that he lays his hand on the deaf man, but Jesus chose to provide him with a more personal and friendly care.
The readings would serve as an important reminder because often we do not treat people equally. Ordinarily, as James points out, we give better service to persons with gold rings and fine clothes than to those with shabby clothes. If truly we are disciples of Jesus, if we believe that he is our Savior and our “Way”, then his concern for the poor, the sick and the broken-hearted must in some way be our own.
One day, a king disguised himself with dirty ragged clothes, and knocked on the door of a big house whose occupants were having a big wedding party. The father of the bride opened the door and saw this man in his worn out clothes. He said, “Mister, I don’t know you and you are not welcome here!” And he slammed the door in his face.
The king left, but came back an hour later. This time he was dressed elegantly: white suit and satin vest. When the father of the bride saw him on the door, he welcomed him with great pride and served him the best food and wine. The king accepted the generosity, but instead of eating what was served, he took the food and stuffed it in every pocket of his dress. Then, he poured the wine all over himself.
When the shocked host demanded an explanation, the king revealed his real self and said: “When I came here dressed as a beggar, you sent me away. When I returned in kingly suit, you welcomed me. But I am the same person, what changed were only my clothes. Obviously, you welcomed the clothes, not the person. So, why don’t we feed the feast to the clothes? The host hung his head in shame and begs for forgiveness.
(The story is from an unknown author)
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