Jesus can literally make the deaf to hear and the mute to speak. But even moreso he can offer healing to those who have consciously turned a deaf ear to God speaking, and he can open the mouths of those who use their voices to criticize others and tear people down and allow them to speak not only well of others but speak the praises of God as well! The praises of God spoken by anyone are only as authentic and genuine as the words of encouragement they use in dealing with other people!
The first reading from Genesis tells of the dastardly deed itself: the great act of disobedience that changed everything forever, for everyone – who made it a sport now to tear down and disregard the dignity of other people: the eating of the very real apple! What is so sad about this story is the trickery of the devil that our first parents fell for. They were so gullible. Adam and Eve were already "like gods" – they were created in God's image and likeness! They were persons of great dignity filled with the glory of God himself. And, in God's original plan – while always preserving their right to choose good from evil – because he gave them free-will – he did not want to burden them with a great amount of "homework" of keeping track of knowledge of good and evil. Their main job in life was therefore to respond freely, totally, faithfully and fruitfully to his love for them: this and nothing more!
So, he gave them boundaries and said, "Don't cross this boundary. Don't eat these apples! or you will die!" He meant "die spiritually and physically" – but the devil twisted this around and took out the "spiritual" part. "You shall not die," said the devil to them. So they took and ate the apple: they did not die, physically yet, but soon they would; however they did die spiritually. The result was they lost their confidence in God and each other – they realized they were naked and they tried to hide from each other and God.
All of their descendants were born into the world with this "spiritual death" – with the millions of ways in which it manifests itself - clutching their souls! And it was only Christ Jesus (Son of God and Son of Adam/Man) whose own voluntary death on a Cross who would be able to reconcile the situation and give us once again the freedom of the children of God – the freedom of the redeemed sons and daughters of Adam!
It is really quite wonderful: this spiritual healing Jesus manifested and foreshadowed in many ways in his public ministry – especially as we see how easily he heals a deaf mute in the gospel passage!
Many today are still spiritually deaf-mutes! If we are among them – even after our baptism – may we this day cry out to the Lord for a renewal of our healing and give him our pledge that we will do all we can to keep our ears and our mouths open to in all things proclaim the glory of God and his willingness to help all his people of good will!
Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son.
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