Twenty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

In our first reading today, Isaiah  renews God’s faithful people with great hopefulness, the kind of hope that many people who had suffered from the recent Victorian bushfires feel as spring approaches.  Green shoots appear in blackened tree stumps, small creatures scurry in the undergrowth, and cool, clear water appears in dry streams.  God will come to his people to open the eyes of the blind and unstop deaf ears.

The promise that the “The blind shall see” was one that was emphasised as a sure sign of the Messiah. We find it in the Old Testament and in the new when Jesus told John’s disciples how to recognise him.  It had two meanings;  a literal one - the blind would be able to see.  It was also a reference to the gift of the Holy Spirit.  We, the baptised, would be able to perceive the mysteries of God as contained in the teaching of Jesus.

We believe in this God today, and his promises will be ours, as James says in the second reading, so long as we show no partiality to the rich or famous, to those in high places or to wealthy benefactors.  We live in a multi-cultural society with many languages, religions, marriage and family customs, so we can add many more groups to those chosen by God to be part of our “family”.

The gospel story begins with Jesus making a long, deliberate detour through gentile country where many came to him to be cured because they had heard of his miracles.  Not only does he heal the deaf man but he gives him the wonderful gift of speech.  The man was able to “speak plainly”, the generosity we can recognise from this bountiful God of ours.

I can be like Mark’s deaf man when I attend any gathering where decision making is the purpose of the meeting.  If I truly believe I am dependent on God’s spirit in all important decisions I make about the directions I will take in my life, then I must believe that others have the same guidance.  And even if I may think they have booked seats on the wrong train, I remember there have been and will be times when I choose spirits not-of-God because of a need for wanting to belong, a fear of forming new relationships, a reluctance to get involved.  Fear, hurt and anger are some impediments that can prevent me from “hearing” what others have to say, writing certain people off as having nothing much to contribute, are generally ways of missing God’s voice in the voice of the community.  There is a temptation nowadays to “hear” God’s voice on the internet giving google as the imprimatur.

When am I “blind” and “deaf” to those in my community?  

Pat Barrett OP
6 September 09