In today’s Gospel we have this strange word “Ephphatha.” Mark helpfully translates this Aramaic word: “Be opened!” Aramaic was Jesus’ native language although he could also read the Scripture in Hebrew. All the Gospels were written in Greek but have a number of Aramaic words or phrases such as Abba (“Father,” Mark 14:36; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6.), Talitha koum (Little girl, arise, Mark 5:41), Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani (“My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Mark 15:34), Bar-timaeus (“son of Timaueus,” Mark 10:46), Marana tha (“Lord, come”, 1 Corinthians 16:22).
In today’s Gospel Jesus heals a “deaf man who had a speech impediment.” Jesus heals both through words and actions.
“Jesus 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!’).”
Jesus proclaims the Kingdom of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15). The Kingdom is present in both Jesus’ physical and spiritual healings. He opens the eyes of the blind and opens the ears of the deaf. He also heals spiritually through the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus heals us at the Eucharist as he opens our eyes to see God’s presence, and he opens our ears to hear God’s word:
“Blessed indeed is your Son, present in our midst when we are gathered by his love, and when, as once for the disciples, so now for us, he opens the Scriptures and breaks the bread.” (Eucharistic Prayer for Various Needs IV).
We are with Jesus on the road to Emmaus as he proclaims, “Ephphatha, Be opened!”
“And it happened that, while Jesus was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight…Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.” (Luke 24:30-31, 35)
Image: “16 Jesus heals the Deaf and Dumb Man – Be Opened (color)” by fz1844 is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.