The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to participate in the reversal of fortune that reorients the world toward inclusion and healing.
The reading from the Prophet Isaiah describes Israel’s Deliverance.
* [35:1–10] This chapter contains a number of themes similar to those in Deutero-Isaiah (chaps. 40–55), for example, the blossoming of the wilderness (vv. 1–2; cf. 41:18–19), which is now well-irrigated (v. 7; cf. 43:19–20); sight to the blind (vv. 5–6; cf. 42:7, 16); a highway in the wilderness (v. 8; cf. 41:3); and the return of the redeemed/ransomed to Zion (vv. 9–10; cf. 51:11). Nevertheless, it forms a unit with chap. 34 (see note on 34:1–35:10) and reflects, along with that chapter, themes found in chaps. 1–33. (Isaiah, CHAPTER 35 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 146 offers praise for God’s Help.
* [Psalm 146] A hymn of someone who has learned there is no other source of strength except the merciful God. Only God, not mortal human beings (Ps 146:3–4), can help vulnerable and oppressed people (Ps 146:5–9). The first of the five hymns that conclude the Psalter. (Psalms, PSALM 146 | USCCB, n.d.)
The reading from the Letter of James is a warning against Partiality.
* [2:1–13] In the Christian community there must be no discrimination or favoritism based on status or wealth (Jas 2:2–4; cf. Mt 5:3; 11:5; 23:6; 1 Cor 1:27–29). Divine favor rather consists in God’s election and promises (Jas 2:5). The rich who oppress the poor blaspheme the name of Christ (Jas 2:6–7). By violating one law of love of neighbor, they offend against the whole law (Jas 2:8–11). On the other hand, conscious awareness of the final judgment helps the faithful to fulfill the whole law (Jas 2:12).
* [2:4] When Christians show favoritism to the rich they are guilty of the worst kind of prejudice and discrimination. The author says that such Christians set themselves up as judges who judge not by divine law but by the basest, self-serving motives.
* [2:5] The poor, “God’s poor” of the Old Testament, were seen by Jesus as particularly open to God for belief in and reliance on him alone (Lk 6:20). God’s law cannot tolerate their oppression in any way (Jas 2:9). (James, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus Cures a Deaf Man.
* [7:36] The more they proclaimed it: the same verb proclaim attributed here to the crowd in relation to the miracles of Jesus is elsewhere used in Mark for the preaching of the gospel on the part of Jesus, of his disciples, and of the Christian community (Mk 1:14; 13:10; 14:9). Implied in the action of the crowd is a recognition of the salvific mission of Jesus; see note on Mt 11:5–6. (Mark, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB, n.d.)
Eileen Wirth comments that St. James reminds us today that we need to “pay attention” to people like those at the shelter even if they make us uncomfortable. Bravo to readers who regularly assist people on the margins. You are role models for the rest of us.
As a final note, I can’t resist sharing a story about welcoming homeless people to our churches. Driving home from Mass one Saturday my dear friend said she was so happy that a homeless person had distributed communion. I hated having to disillusion her. The EME was a noted painter who had come to St. John’s from working in his studio, dressed accordingly. Jane’s heart was in the right place even if this “homeless” man could have bought and sold both of us. (Wirth, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “The touch of the Lord,” by Ephrem the Syrian (306-373 AD).
"That power which may not be handled came down and clothed itself in members that may be touched, that the desperate may draw near to him, that in touching his humanity they may discern his divinity. For that speechless man the Lord healed with the fingers of his body. He put his fingers into the man's ears and touched his tongue. At that moment with fingers that may be touched, he touched the Godhead that may not be touched. Immediately this loosed the string of his tongue (Mark 7:32-37), and opened the clogged doors of his ears. For the very architect of the body itself and artificer of all flesh had come personally to him, and with his gentle voice tenderly opened up his obstructed ears. Then his mouth which had been so closed up that it could not give birth to a word, gave birth to praise him who made its barrenness fruitful. The One who immediately had given to Adam speech without teaching, gave speech to him so that he could speak easily a language that is learned only with difficulty (Genesis 1:27-28). (excerpt from HOMILY ON OUR LORD 10.3) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Isaiah 35:4-7 comments that Jesus came to open our ears, too. He doesn’t want us to be isolated from him or others. But we can’t be healed of our “spiritual deafness” if we fail to spend time with him each day. We need to get “away from the crowd” (Mark 7:33)—away from all the clatter and distractions so that we can better listen to what Jesus wants to say to us. We also need a heart open to hearing his words, especially if he shows us where we need to change.
We can be deaf, too, to the people around us, most especially our loved ones. We can tune out their concerns and struggles because we’ve heard them one too many times. Or we can listen to their words but not really try to understand what’s going on beneath the surface, in their hearts.
That’s why it’s important to start each day asking the Lord to “clear” your ears (Isaiah 35:5). He wants you to hear him speaking to you, and he wants you to really listen to the people in your life. Just as he opened the ears of the man in today’s Gospel, you can trust that he will open your ears, too. There’s so much he wants you to hear and understand!
“Jesus, I want to listen. Open my ears today!” (Meditation on Isaiah 35:4-7, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the restoration and vindication in the passage from Isaiah as the Lord seeks to heal the wounds of the people. The Letter of James warns us about the standard by which we judge people. Friar Jude reminds us that the “Ephphatha!” rite in Baptism resonates with Jesus' healing of pagans who were more ready to receive Him than the people in His hometown.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, writes of Jesus’ teachings and lived example of forgiveness.
An eagerness and readiness to love is the ultimate freedom and future. When we’ve been included in the spaciousness of divine love, there is just no room for human punishment, vengeance, rash judgment, or calls for retribution. We certainly see none of this small-mindedness in the Risen Christ after his own rejection, betrayal, and cruel death; we don’t see it even from his inner circle, or in the whole New Testament. I really cannot imagine a larger and more spacious way to live. Jesus’ death and resurrection event was a game changer for history.
The Crucified and Risen Christ uses the mistakes of the past to create a positive future, a future of redemption instead of retribution. He does not eliminate or punish mistakes. He uses them for transformative purposes.
People formed by such love are indestructible. Forgiveness might just be the very best description of what God’s goodness engenders in humanity. [2] (Rohr, n.d.)
We are graced by the Spirit to be agents of Jesus' transformative love as we act to include and work for the healing of all God’s people on our journey.
References
Isaiah, CHAPTER 35 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 8, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/35?4
James, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 8, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/james/2?1
Mark, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 8, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/7?31
Meditation on Isaiah 35:4-7. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 8, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/09/08/1069018/
Psalms, PSALM 146 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 8, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/146?6
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Three Goodnesses. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 8, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/three-goodnesses/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). He Has Done All Things Well. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 8, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=sep8
Wirth, E. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved September 8, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/090824.html
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