In today's Gospel we see Jesus healing a man from his deafness and speech impairment.
Holy Spirit, fill my heart and illuminate my mind. Help me to hear and understand God's message today. Help me to recognize when God is trying to speak to me in my daily life. Amen
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.”
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UD50E3y_PY (Credit to Catholic Kids Media)
Say: In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks someone to keep secret the amazing thing that Jesus did for him. We’re not sure why Jesus asked for such a secret to be kept. But we learn in this Gospel that the secret was not kept.
Ask: What did Jesus do for this man? (Jesus healed his deafness and removed his speech impediment.) Why might Jesus have asked that no one be told about this healing? (Accept all reasonable answers.) Who shares the news of the man’s healing? (the man and those who brought the man to Jesus) What did they announce? (that Jesus had done all things well and had made the deaf man hear and cured his speech impediment)
Say: Christians are like the man and his friends in today’s Gospel. We have great news about Jesus that we can't help but share with others so that they might also know Jesus’ love.
Conclude in prayer together, asking God to help us share the good news of God’s love with others. Pray together the Prayer to the Holy Spirit.
Father in heaven, for the conversion of sinners, we give you today, all that we think and do and say, and we join it with all that was done by Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen
