Friday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Mark 7:31-37
“Ephphatha,”, “Be opened.”
And again, departing from the borders of Tyre, he went by way of Sidon to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the area of the Ten Cities.
And they brought someone who was deaf and mute to him. And they begged him, so that he would lay his hand upon him.
And taking him away from the crowd, he put his fingers into his ears; and spitting, he touched his tongue. And gazing up to heaven, he groaned and said to him: “Ephphatha,” which is, “Be opened.” And immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was released, and he spoke correctly.
And he instructed them not to tell anyone. But as much as he instructed them, so much more did they preach about it. And so much more did they wonder, saying: “He has done all things well. He has caused both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
What do the Fathers say?
The Venerable BEDE. Decapolis is a region of ten cities, across the Jordan, to the east, over against Galilee.c When therefore it is said that the Lord came to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the borders of Decapolis, it does not mean that He entered the confines of Decapolis themselves; for He is not said to have crossed the sea, but rather to have come to the borders of the sea, and to have reached quite up to the place, which was opposite to the midst of the coasts of Decapolis, which were situated at a distance across the sea.
He looked up to heaven, that He might teach us that thence is to be procured speech for the dumb, hearing for the deaf, health for all who are sick.
St THEOPHYLACT. That He might show that all the members of His sacred body are divine and holy, even the spittle which loosed the string of the tongue. For the spittle is only the superfluous moisture of the body, but in the Lord all things are divine.
PSEUDO-CHRYSOSTOM. (Victor of Antioch) He at the same time also groaned, as taking our cause upon Himself, and pitying human nature, seeing the misery into which it had fallen.
PSEUDO-JEROME. He who obtains healing is always drawn aside from turbulent thoughts, disorderly actions, and incoherent speeches.
And the fingers which are put into the ears are the words and the gifts of the Holy Ghost, of whom it is said, This is the finger of God. (Exod. 8:19) The spittle is heavenly wisdom, which loosens the sealed lips of the human race, so that it can say, I believe in God, the Father Almighty, and the rest of the Creed.
And looking up to heaven, he groaned, that is, He taught us to groan, and to raise up the treasures of our hearts to the heavens; because by the groaning of hearty compunction, the silly joy of the flesh is purged away.
But the ears are opened to hymns, and songs, and psalms; and He looses the tongue, that it may pour forth the good word, which neither threats nor stripes can restrain.