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(6th Sept 2009)
“Ephphatha! Be opened!”
THE 7 STEPS
SILENCE WORSHIP SCRIPTURE READING MEDITATION BY HEART INTERCESSION COVENANT PRAYER |
 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.”
Questions for Meditation 1. Whom did the people bring to Jesus? What possible relations to they have with the man? What was wrong with him? What did they hope that Jesus do for this man? 2. What was the first thing that Jesus do? Why did he do that? How did he treat the man? What does that tell you about the person of Jesus? 3. Why did Jesus look up to heaven? What were the words that Jesus used? What happened to the man after that? Why did Jesus order them not to tell anyone? 4. How did the people react to what they saw? What did they say about Jesus?
By Heart: for Reflection Have you ever considered how your life would be without the ability to hear or speak? Without your hearing, you would not be able to hear what others are talking about. Without your speech, you would not be able to tell others what you want them to know. Life would be difficult because you would have difficulty understanding the world and the world would have difficulty understanding you. This is the life that the deaf man with a speech impediment had to live. But everything changed when his friends brought him to Jesus. This man, Jesus made it possible for him to experience the world unlike before – he makes the deaf hear and the mute speak. - Sometimes we become deaf to the voice of others in our lives, especially those whom we take for granted…God, our parents, our children, our friends… - Sometimes we become mute to the darkness of our age, especially to the culture of death at work in our society; we are unwilling or afraid to proclaim the gospel of life. Jesus makes the deaf hear and the mute speak. When we humbly come to him, he touches us and makes us whole again. He makes us hear the voice of God. He makes us speak the truth of the gospel.
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1. For the leaders of the Church, that they might be instruments of God’s healing power to the flock entrusted to their care. 2. For those who govern our country, that their minds and hearts might be opened to the pursuit of justice and peace. 3. For those who are indifferent to their faith, that they might be filled with the Holy Spirit and be powerful witnesses of the gospel. 4. For those who have doubts in their faith, that they might be opened to discover the way, truth and life in Jesus 5. For those who are persecuted for their faith, that they might remain steadfast in following the footsteps of Jesus the Master
Covenant Prayer:
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Enlighten
our minds