The story of Jesus healing a man who can neither hear nor speak has great power in itself. Yet I discern in this tale an allegory to which we might also attend. It seems to me that the man who is deaf and mute could represent the church of our day, which can be deaf to the promptings of the Spirit and impeded in communicating the Good News about Jesus to our surrounding communities.
How does it alter our understanding of this story if we put our churches in the place of the man? Let’s look at the nature of this healing. Where sometimes Jesus heals with a word, not even in the same physical location as the one healed, in this case he is intensely personal and material. He uses his own saliva, placed on the man's tongue, and puts his fingers in his ears. Beyond the "ick" factor, we see here an incredible intimacy. Perhaps many of our churches, and those who work so hard to sustain them, have forsaken intimacy with Christ for the burden of keeping his church lumbering on. That has ever been a bad trade!
How might we come closer to Jesus again, close enough to touch his wounds, and allow him close enough to touch our ears and our tongues? How might we take to heart his command, "Be opened!" and recover the impulse toward joyful faith-sharing that is in our DNA as followers of Christ?
Where do you feel your spiritual hearing might be stopped up? In what ways do you feel impeded in talking about your life in God? Obstacles don’t have to stop us – they invite us to look for ways over, under, around or through them.
Today as a prayer experiment, read this story again and put yourself in the place of the man who is deaf and mute. Let the story unfold in your imagination. Does Jesus say or do anything different with you? Anything specific?
Now imagine this whole encounter with your faith community standing in for the man – how does Jesus proceed in your imagination?
If it wasn't impossible to pronounce, "Ephphatha!" would be a great name for a church. I pray we can live into the heart of this command, and truly, in every possible way, be opened.
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