23rd Sunday Ordinary Time September 5, 2021ptember

Readings: Isaiah 35.4-7, James . 2.1-5, Mark. 7.31-37

Do we listen? Are our ears open? Do we speak the word of the Lord? These are the questions that can be seen in the readings today. We are invited to have our ears opened and to learn to speak God's own words.

The first reading is from the Prophet Isaiah. he tells the fainthearted-those who are uneasy about the word of God, whose hearts live in fear- "Be strong! Fear not!" Most of us who have faith are at least a bit shy about proclaiming that faith, especially when the world is so against faith right now. Yet the prophet Isaiah would tell us to have no fear, just proclaim God and God's works. Everything will change if we begin to proclaim, the w9ord of God! Our mute lips will speak, our tongues can speak aloud God's glory. We will be able to see the glory of the Lord. The eyes of the blind will opened. Anll of these great works are a sign that God is present.

The second reading comes from the Letter of James. "God chose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him." Again, we have this testimony that God will work if we just walk with Him. God does not choose the powerful and those who have the means to pay their way. Instead God chooses the weak, the poor, those without capacity- and through them God proclaims the Kingdom of of His love. We often doubt this reality but once we begin to see everything in faith, we begin to recognize that power counts for no0thing unless it is the power of love. Our level in the society of this life counts for nothing. What counts is a heart set on God and on doing God's will.

The Gospel is about Jesus curing the man who had a speech impediment and wh9o could not hear. This echoes clearly the passage from the Prophet Isaiah. And, of course, once Jesus heals this man, everyone wants to talk about it. It is no longer a sign from God but is about extraordinary things happening. We humans often prefer the circus to the hard realities of life.

What about us? Do we help others speak? Do we help others hear? Do we direct others to God? The earloy followers of Jesus recognized that Jesus was fulfilling the prophesies. Do we recognize that? Jesus does not go about saying: I" I am God. listen to me." Rather, Jesus goes about doing the works that proclaim that He is God. Let us listen to him and also open their mouths of others and help them see.