Greetings on this the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: Is 35:4-7a; Ps 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10; Jas 2:1-5; Mk 7:31-37
Notes: Speaking and listening. In today’s gospel listening to the Lord precedes speaking in the name of the Lord intelligible. They are inseparable but hearing precedes speaking.
The deaf-mute man, is first given the ability to hear the Lord and then proclaim him.
Before that he would speak and none could understand him. He was impeded.
It is that way with people who claim to speak in the Lord’s name.
They speak nonsense unless they first listen to the Lord.
Can you pass the Moses test?
First reading
All prophets must pass the “Moses test” as described in Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 18:15-16, 21-22
Moses continued, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. For this is what you yourselves requested of the Lord your God when you were assembled at Mount Sinai. You said, ‘Don’t let us hear the voice of the Lord our God anymore or see this blazing fire, for we will die.’
But you may wonder, ‘How will we know whether or not a prophecy is from the Lord?’ If the prophet speaks in the Lord’s name but his prediction does not happen or come true, you will know that the Lord did not give that message. That prophet has spoken without my authority and need not be feared.
In today’s gospel, Jesus fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah making him a prophet. The healing makes his teaching reliable and worthy of our attention.
Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
with divine recompense
he comes to save you.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing.
Responsorial Psalm
Praise the Lord, my soul!
The fatherless and the widow the LORD sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
Second reading
Have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil designs?
How do we treat a poor person in shabby clothes?
Alleluia Verse
Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
Gospel Portion
Jesus frees people.
If we look closely at Isaiah and the actions of the prophet to come, we can ask ourselves if we even try to be this way. If we look closely at the Psalm, do we even.
Psalmist and Isaiah are saying the same things
- Secure justice for the oppressed.
- Give food to the hungry.
- Set captives free.
- Raise up those bowed down.
- Sight to the blind.
- Protect the stranger and wanderer.
- Protect the fatherless and widow.
- Stop wickedness.
Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry
Deacon Gerry Palermo 