Friday, February 14, 2020 — Fith week of Ordinary time — Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 7, 31-37 —  Lord, open our heart to make us attentive to the words of your Son.

Jesus does not stop going to villages, hamlets and even to the seaside and heals the sick and the infirm: this means that He wants to save all humans and the whole human. Here He heals the deaf-mute who is asked to lay hands on him in a special way, recalling the symbols of our sacraments. And of one He took him away. To take the way of salvation is, first of all, an individual decision: "I baptize you" and not "I baptize you", "bless me because I have sinned" and not "bless us because we have sinned". There is no collective sacrament. He could have simply said: "Get up" or "It is your time that has saved you"... but He took the trouble to put his fingers in his ear and wet his tongue with his saliva, as we were anointed or waving. And thirdly, the word "Effata".

But we, today, our ears need to be touch to eliminate the world's hubbub that prevents us from hearing God's call and the cry of distress from others. In the same way, our tongue needs to be touched to be freed from lies, swearing and slander...