Homily

The episode of the healing of the deaf-mute has been with us since the day of our baptism, when the priest enacts exactly what Jesus did to the deaf-mute. Touching our ears and mouth, we, who understood and spoke little, the priest said, "May the Lord grant you a ready hearing of his Word and that you profess your faith." From the beginning of our lives ?when it was yet impossible to understand words? it is nevertheless told to us that hearing the Word is our salvation. Without a doubt, the gospel episode reported by Mark takes on a symbolic value for the whole year before us, as well as our entire lives. Jesus finds himself in the pagan region of Tyre (the Decapolis). Performing the miracle in that land means opening up the Gospel beyond the frontiers of Israel; every man and woman, whenever they live and whatever the culture to which they belong, can be reached by the Word of God and be touched by his mercy.
Mark speaks of a deaf-mute, or better, of a man affected by serious stuttering (the cure in fact will consist in his speaking correctly), who is led before Jesus in order to be healed. Jesus takes him to the side, away from the crowd, almost as if to stress the importance of a personal relation, direct, intimate, between him and the sick one. Miracles, in fact, occur in the realm of a deep friendship and of trust in God. Jesus takes the man aside and, following ancient custom, puts his fingers on his eyes, and then, with saliva, touches his tongue. A sort of current of love bursts forth while Jesus holds that sick man by the hand. Thus it always occurs when we hold the hands of the sick, when we hold up the arms of the weak, when one draws near with love and affection to those who are alone and needing help. The miracle begins in this way, especially in a world like ours used to running around distractedly, erecting barriers, and avoiding all contact.
Jesus, friend of humankind, especially of the weak, looks at that man with affection and mercy. Perhaps the apostle James thought of this episode when in his letter he exhorts Christians to give priority of attention to the poor and the weak. It is true that God shows no preference between people. But it is equally true that his heart is, as it were, skewed towards the poor and the weak. These latter are the first in the Gospel. Thus should it be for every believer and for every Christian community. Jesus welcomed that deaf-mute. And he is with him, to the side. Perhaps he speaks to him; he then lifts his eyes up to heaven, towards the Father, as if to present him that poor deaf-mute, and he sighs deeply. It is Jesus’ prayer. In it he unites intercession to God, who can do all things, with being deeply moved by that un-well man, needful of salvation. Thus had he done before the multiplication of the bread, when he was moved by the tired and exhausted crowd and then "looked up to heaven" (Mk 6:41).
Jesus feels a start in his chest, a force that comes from within, and he tells the deaf-mute, "Ephphatha!" that is, "Be opened!" It is one word, but gushed from a heart full of the love of God. "And immediately," the evangelist notes, "his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly." The centurion’s words come to mind, "Lord, only speak the word, and my servant will be healed" (Mt 8:8). And Isaiah’s forceful exhortation to the people of Israel enslaved in Babylon echoes, "Say to those who are of a fearful heart, ‘Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. ... He will come and save you.’ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped." That day, in that forsaken corner of present-day southern Lebanon, "God had come to save" that man from his disease. But God’s might did not manifest itself with clamour and racket. It was only "one" word. Yes, because one gospel word is enough to change one, to transform his life; what counts is that it gushes from a heart passionate like Jesus’, and that it be received by a heart needful, like that deaf-mute’s. Jesus, we could say, does not turn only to the ear or the mouth but to the whole person. It is to the deaf-mute, not to his ear, that he says, "Be opened!" And it is the whole man who is healed, "opening up" to God and to the world.
The miracle, nevertheless, takes place in two stages. First of all, Jesus touches his ears: the person needs to be "open" to hearing the Word of God; then, in the second stage, he touches his tongue: that man, after hearing, can speak correctly. The one who does not listen remains mute, even in faith. Often, in commenting on the Scriptures, it is said that it is decisive for the believer that he hear the Word of God. This miracle leads us to reflect on the connection between our words and the Word of God. We often do not pay enough attention to the weight our words have, to the value our own language has. And yet through it we express ourselves much more than we think. And often we waste our words or, worse, we misuse them. James the apostle in chapter three of his letter reminds us, "With the tongue we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so" (3:9-10).
The miracle proclaimed to us concerns not so much the restoration of speech as it does speaking correctly. We could say that we find ourselves before the miracle of speaking well, that is, the healing of speaking which is divisive and evil, which James condemns. And which one of us does not need to ask the Lord to free us from speech that is too improper, at times even violent or evil, deceitful and malicious? Often, too often, we forget the constructive and destructive power of our tongue. It is, thus, first of all, necessary that we hear the "Word" of God that it might purify and make fertile our "words," our speech, our very way of expressing ourselves. For Christians, it is a matter of the gravest responsibility, because the only way we have of achieving the communication of the Gospel is through the vehicle of our "words." They are poor, but incredibly efficacious; they can move mountains, if they reflect the Word. Jesus says, "On the day of judgement you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter; for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned"(Mt 12:36-37).