Homily

The Gospel passage reports the healing of the deaf-mute, or better of a or better, of a man affected by serious stuttering (the cure in fact will consist in his speaking correctly). Jesus heals this man in the region of the Decapolis, a pagan land beyond the borders of Israel. Mark seems to underline that the Gospel is not reserved only to the people of Israel, but all men and women have the right of meeting the mercy of God who frees and saves us.
Also the deaf-mute 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 need 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, 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. Following an ancient custom of healers, Jesus “put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue.” Then, the evangelist notes, Jesus lifts his eyes up to heaven and sighs deeply. It is Jesus’ prayer. In it he unites trust in the Father and being deeply moved by that sick man. 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 link between deafness and muteness is known. The cure requires for both organs to be healed; the healing of just one of them is not sufficient. We could say that this is true also in Christian faith. The ear (human being) needs to “open” to listen to the Word of God. Then the tongue loosens and can speak. That man, after hearing, can speak correctly. The connection between hearing the word and the ability to speak is close. 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 allows us to understand the need we have to hear in order to speak, better to speak correctly. Yes this is the miracle of speaking well, that is, the healing from a divisive and evil speaking, 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)