Feb 10

Memorial of St Scholastica, Virgin Mk 7:31-37

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.”

There is one of the three places in the Bible that Aramaic is used in this reading, "Ephatha" is Aramaic. The ears are commanded to be opened. The desire to have the ears opened is very important it the healing. The man begged Jesus to lay his hand on him. I have a strong desire to have an open heart and to be healed of any bitterness, or lack of love toward others. This morning, I beg Jesus to lay a hand on my heart that it may be open and loving to all.