Daily Readings - Sun Sep 08 2024
Isaiah
4Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.5Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.6Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.7And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
James
1My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.2For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;3And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:4Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?5Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
Mark
31And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.32And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.33And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;34And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.35And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.36And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;37And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful themes of hope, healing, and the call to live with integrity. The first reading from Isaiah paints a vivid picture of a world transformed by God’s presence. The prophet describes a desert blooming with life, the blind seeing, and the mute speaking—a vision of a world where God’s power overcomes all limitations. This passage reminds us that God is always near, ready to bring light and life to those who feel lost or marginalized.
The Gospel offers a living example of this transformation through the story of Jesus healing the deaf and mute man. By taking the man aside and touching his ears and tongue, Jesus shows us a God who is intimate and personal, who meets us in our specific struggles. The man’s healing is not just physical but also spiritual—a testament to the power of faith and trust in God. This miracle, like Isaiah’s vision, invites us to believe that no matter our challenges, God can open our ears to hear His voice and loosen our tongues to proclaim His love.
James, in the second reading, challenges us to live out this faith in our daily lives. He warns against favoritism, urging us to see everyone as equal in God’s eyes. Just as Jesus reached out to the marginalized, we are called to treat others with the same compassion and fairness. Today’s readings remind us that our faith is not just about waiting for God to act but also about acting justly and lovingly in the world. May we, like the man healed by Jesus, be opened to God’s grace and empowered to live as instruments of His healing and justice.