Twenty-Third Ordinary Sunday, Year B
Theme: Become Jesus’ Finger 成為耶穌的手指
God’s creation is a marvellous mystery. He created us in His image so that we are able to communicate with Him and to discern the purpose of His actions. Nowadays we learn from neurologists that in the process of our death, hearing is the last to expire. In other words, even after our heart has stopped pumping blood to our cells and our lungs have stopped exchanging oxygen to refresh our tissues, hearing signals keep going to our brain. There must be a reason behind such an arrangement in our anatomy. We need to hear God’s voice and discern His will throughout our life and beyond! Thus, when a scribe challenged Jesus with the question of which the first of all the commandments was (Mark 12:28), Jesus simply quoted the Shema which all Jews recited twice daily, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is LORD alone! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul …” (12:29-30, Deuteronomy 6:4-5). The essence of Judaism and Christianity is crystal clear: to hear God’s voice and to love Him. But is it still relevant today?
Surveying the history of God’s Chosen People in the Bible, modern people would be very much consoled and encouraged. If such a stiff-necked small nation could be God’s Chosen People, who else could not be included? Even God lamented the performance of this stiff-necked people, “I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people!” (Exodus 32:9, Deuteronomy 9:13) “Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer” (10:16). “Now do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the LORD; and enter His sanctuary, which He has sanctified forever, and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of His wrath may turn away from you” (2 Chronicles 30:8). “But my people would not heed my voice, and Israel would have none of me. So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart. To walk in their own counsels” (Psalms 81:11-12) etc. Reading the Bible in this light, we cannot help but marvel at the patience of God. Alas! We pass judgment too quickly to evade our own responsibilities.
There are many reasons why people, including us, do not heed God’s voice. A naïve reason is herd mentality. Most of us are living in a secular society in which it is not fashionable to believe in the existence of a creator God: it is unscientific; it is superstitious and it is not progressive etc. People would tease you with questions like, “If God created the world, who created God?” For people with a more socio-political temperament: religions oppose science; religions cause wars; and religions are people’s opium and clergy are corrupt etc. People would challenge you like, “If your God were almighty and benevolent, why would He allow good people to suffer and save them not?” All these are only superficial. There are deeper issues which people in power do not want commoners to believe in God because religious sentiment of the commoners could disrupt their grip on power. God is the only weapon powerful enough to challenge their position. Within such a macro-cosmos, how do Christians proclaim the gospel? Fortunately for us, Archangel Gabriel says, “For with God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1:37) and later Jesus reassures us, “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom” (12:32). Thus, besides death, there is one more certainty: God’s kingdom comes (Matthew 6:10a)! We take the Bible as a record of God’s words and He says, “I am the LORD. I have spoken; I will do it” (Ezekiel 37:14b). This is exactly what people in power do not want because they know that God is genuinely greater.
Now, God comes to save the needy and the poor. How does God save? Specifically, “Then the eyes of the blind shall see, and the ears of the deaf be opened; then the lame shall leap like a stag, and the mute tongue sing for joy” (35:5-6a). When people are able to see and to hear the truth, they will be set free, “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). When people are free from physical, psychological, economical and socio-political restrains etc., they will be able to leap like a stag and sing for joy! How desirable the Kingdom of Heaven is when all commoners are free from fear and all stewards are free from resorting to inspiring fear to consolidate their power grip. Let all of us pray for the coming of the Father’s kingdom!
In the gospel reading today, we see how the Father honours His pledges and does what He says, viz. the Son of God healed a deaf-mute in the region of Decapolis (Mark 7:31-32). There are several points of interest in meditating this healing miracle. Firstly, Decapolis is a Gentile region. Therefore, God’s promised salvation is not limited to the Chosen People only, or rather, God’s salvation should be catholic and all-inclusive! This healing narrative also raises another question. Usually, Jesus speaks and the healing is done, e.g. the leper, the man with a withered hand and even the exorcism of the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman. Why did Jesus use his finger and spittle to heal this deaf-mute? Was it because the faith of the deaf-mute was not strong enough? Wait! We are in no position to pass judgment on the faith of the others. Only God knows. Thus, we should look for other reasons. Many scholars follow a relational line of reasoning. They explain that God is eager to reconcile with sinners, to restore and renew our relationship with Him. In the case of this deaf-mute, probably he had lost all hope of recovery and had given up praying to his pagan gods. Therefore, the Son of God took the initiative to break into the life of the deaf-mute to raise him up with those outward signs. To a certain extent, the healing of this deaf-mute was a sacramental process. With those visible outward signs, the Son of God conferred invisible healing grace on the deaf-mute. Now, the restored man knew which God is authentic!
Beloved brethren! Of course, the Son of God could heal the deaf-mute without using those outward signs. Yet, for the good of future generations, the merciful LORD deploys those elaborate and visible steps so that we may follow His example to take the initiative to approach the needy, to befriend them and to restore their relationship with our Father. In short, Jesus has opened up opportunities for us, members of His Mystical Body, to become His fingers to touch the poor and thus convey God’s life to them. Are you willing to become Jesus’ finger?
God bless!
Picture Credit: ncregister.com, creator.nightcafe.studio
No comments:
Post a Comment