23^rd  Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 128

It-23 Ħadd matul is-Sena

Messalin B pp 458

Reading 1        ISAIAH 35:4-7A

Thus says the LORD: Say to those whose hearts are frightened:  Be strong, fear not! 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. Streams will burst forth in the desert, and rivers in the steppe. The burning sands will become pools,  and the thirsty ground, springs of water.  This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Ewwel Qari  -   mill-Profet Isaija  35, 4 – 7a

Għidu lil dawk b'qalbhom imbeżżgħa: "Agħmlu l-ħila, la tibżgħux! Araw,  Alla  tagħkom gej jitħallas; il-ħlas ta' Alla  wasal; Hu   stess ġej biex isalvakom." Imbagħad jinfetħu għajnejn il-għomja, jinfetħu widnejn it-torox. Imbagħad iz-zopp jaqbeż bħal għaqżiela  u lsien l-imbikkma  jinħall bil-ferħ. Iva, igelgel l-ilma fid-deżert, u l-widien fix-xagħri. L-art maħruqa tinbidel  f'għadira, u l-art niexfa f'għejun ta' ilma  ġieri. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm                              PSalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

The God of Jacob keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!

The LORD gives sight to the blind;
the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.
The LORD loves the just;
the LORD protects strangers.
R. 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.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!

Salm Responsorjali   -  Salm 145 (146)

Il-Mulej iżomm kelmtu għal dejjem,

jagħmel ħaqq lill-maħqurin,

u  jagħti  l-ħobż lill-imġewħin.

Il-Mulej jeħles lill-imjassrin.

R/     Faħħar, ruħ tiegħi, il-Mulej!

Il-Mulej jiftaħ għajnejn il-għomja;

il-Mulej jerfa' lill-milwijin;

il-Mulej iħobb lill-ġusti;

il-Mulej jħares lill-barranin.

R/     Faħħar, ruħ tiegħi, il-Mulej!

Hu li  jżomm lill-iltim u ill-armla,

imma lill-ħżiena jħarbatilhom triqathom

Il-Mulej isaltan għal dejjem;

Alla tiegħek, Sijon, minn nisel għal nisel.

R/     Faħħar, ruħ tiegħi, il-Mulej!

Reading 2                     JAMES 2:1-5

My brothers and sisters, show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For if a man with gold rings and fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here, please, ” while you say to the poor one, “Stand there, ” or “Sit at my feet, ” have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil designs? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?  This is the Word of the Lord.

It-Tieni Qari    -- mill-Ittra ta' San Ġakbu 2, 1-5

Ħuti;  tħallux  il-fidi f'Ġesu' Kristu, il-Mulej  tagħna  tal-glorja, mal-ħarsien lejn l-uċuħ. Għax jekk fil-laqgħa tagħkom jidħol xi ħadd biċ-ċrieket tad-deheb f'subgħajh u bi lbies ilellex,  imbagħad jidħol xi  ħaddieħor  fqir liebes imċerċer, u intom idduru ma' dak  bl-ilbies ilellex, u tgħidulu: "Int oqgħod komdu hawn bilqiegħda" waqt li lill-fqir tgħidulu:   "Int oqgħod  bilwieqfa" jew, "Oqgħod bilqiegħda fuq il-mirfes ta' riġlejja", ma jidhrilkomx li tkunu qegħdin tagħmlu għażla bejniethom,  u hekk issiru mħallfin qarrieqa? Isimgħu,  ħuti għeżież: mhux Alla kien li għażel lill-foqra   għad-dinja biex jistagħnu fil-fidi u jsiru werrieta tas-Saltna  li hu wiegħed  lil dawk li jħobbuh?   Il-Kelma tal-Mulej  

Gospel                          MARK 7:31-37

Again Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis.  And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him off by himself away from the crowd.  He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!”— that is, “Be opened!” — And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly.  He ordered them not to tell anyone.  But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it.  They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all things well.  He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”  This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Evanġelju  --   skont San Mark  --  7, 31-37

F'dak iż-żmien,  Ġesu',  telaq mill-inħawi tal-belt ta' Tir, għadda minn Sidon lejn il-baħar tal-Galilija,  fl-inħawi tad-Dekapoli. U ġibulu wieħed,  trux u mbikkem,u  talbuħ  iqegħidlu idu fuqu. Ġesu' ħarġu għalih waħdu minn qalb in-nies,  daħħal subgħajh f'widnjeh u messlu lsienu fir-riq tiegħu. Imbagħad refa' għajnejh lejn is-sema, tniehed tnehida, u qallu:   "Effata", jiġifieri, "Infetaħ!" U minnufih widnejh infetħulu, l-irbit ta' lsienu nħallu  u qabad jitkellem sewwa. Ġesu' wissiehom biex ma jgħidu lil ħadd; iżda aktar ma wissiehom, aktar bdew ixandruh. U mimlijin bil-għaġeb, bdew igħidu: "Kollox għamel tajjeb;  jagħti s-smigħ lit-torox u l-kliem mill-imbikkmin!"  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Commentary by Larry Broding

Shortcomings and Faith

What kinds of shortcomings do people have? How do those shortcomings challenge people to grow?

We all have 'em. Shortcomings. They can be physical, emotional, moral, behavioral, or mental. Most of us have several shortcomings. Some of these shortcomings are real. Others are imagined (they're only "real" when we compare them to other people). No matter. We will obsess, deny, rationalize them. And we'll spent real money for relief from them. We'll do anything to alleviate them, to be free of them.

Sometimes we call these shortcomings our "demons." In the time of Jesus, the ancients equated many of these shortcomings to demonic possession. Jesus freed a man from a real shortcoming, a demon, but did more than heal him. He allowed the man to hear and speak the truth.

As the notes above indicates, Jesus treated this healing as a demonic possession. He spat on the ground as a warning against evil spirits. He touched the man on the ears and the tongue to infuse God's power. As a result, the man was able to truly hear and understand. And the chains that held his tongue (demons bound his tongue) were loosened. The man could speak clearly, for no demon could now touch him.

Jesus freed the man from more than a physical ailment. He restored the man's moral character and social contacts. Jews in the time of Jesus assumed physical ailments (like the one the man suffered from) were the result of sin, either personal or ancestral. Such an ailment reflected moral deficiencies. It also placed barriers between the man and a normal social life. (Indeed, some of his family members might have been ashamed of his condition and sought to hide him.) Despite the action of the crowd to deliver the man to Jesus, the man still would have been "different," counted among the outcasts and sinners.

We must not overlook whose voice, whose command, healed the man. The man responded to Jesus' word: "Be opened!" The man heard and felt Jesus. His power healed the man. Now, the man could hear the truth. And he could clearly speak the truth. Mark inferred that the man was freed from his demons and rose to proclaim faith. How much clearer can one speak?

The clarity of the man's speech (his own witness) caused others to praise God and spread the reputation of Jesus. Why did Jesus try to discourage the crowd from praising him? Historically, such praise would bring a backlash. "The carpenter had no right to be a healing minister," some would think. Controversy would bring scandal and scandal would bring condemnation. Those who rose above their place in life would be knocked down.

There was another reason for Jesus' reaction to such praise. Those who praised him would misunderstand his ministry and his Messiahood. They would expect Jesus to be God's vengeance, the Davidic messiah who would drive the Romans into the sea and restore his ancestor's throne. In the end, even his most enthusiastic followers would leave him when they found Jesus would not fulfill their political ambitions.

Jesus wanted discretion from the crowd because he would, in time, reveal the type of Messiah he was. He would also reveal the type of follower his Messiahood required.

Is our praise of God for his benefit or ours? Do we pray and worship God to fulfill our needs alone? Or do we do it for his glory? Or do we praise God for both reasons? Explain.

Sometimes our shortcomings are spiritual. We are people of faith, but our spiritual focus is upon the self. Many times we struggle between our immature "needs" and a real exercise in the Spirit's gifts. These shortcomings can lead us to discouragement ("church does not fulfill my needs anymore"). Or they can challenge us to grow. Through growth, we begin to listen and understand. Then, we can speak clearly. Our ears are no longer blocked. Our tongue is no longer held bound. Despite our shortcoming, Jesus will touch and call to us. And he will use these shortcomings to lead us to greater faith.

Reflect on your own shortcomings. How do they affect your spiritual life? How do they challenge you to redouble your efforts in prayer and service?

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