The Pontiff commented on the day’s reading, taken from the Gospel of Mark, in which the evangelist recounts the healing of a deaf-mute man.
Vatican City (08/09/2021 09:00, Gaudium Press) During Pope Francis’ traditional Sunday Angelus meeting with the faithful, the Pontiff discussed the day’s reading, September 5, from the Gospel of St. Mark, in which the evangelist recounts the healing of the deaf-mute man.
The Pontiff took the opportunity to recall that deafness of heart is worse than physical deafness, and that we can ask Jesus to touch it and heal it, while we must learn to stop, listen to those who are close to us and listen to Him, for He is the Word.
Every gesture of Jesus has a different symbolic value
Drawing attention to the way Jesus performs this miracle, Pope Francis points out that in other healings Our Lord did not perform so many gestures. “He walks away with the deaf-mute, out of the crowd, puts his fingers in his ears and with his saliva touches his tongue, then looks up to heaven, sighs and says: ‘Efatà’, that is ‘Open up!'” he narrates.
The Pontiff explains that each of these gestures has a particular symbolic value. “Being deaf-mute is an illness, but it is also a symbol. And this symbol has something to say to all of us. To heal the cause of his malady, “Jesus first places his fingers in his ears, then in his mouth.”
The medicine for our spiritual health
According to the Holy Father, interior deafness is worse than physical deafness, because it is deafness of the heart. “Taken by haste, by a thousand things to say and do, we do not find the time to stop and listen to the one who speaks to us. We run the risk of becoming impermeable to everything and of not giving space to those who need to be heard,” he warned.
The remedy recommended by the Pope for our spiritual health is to dedicate time to the Gospel and “each day a little silence and listening, a few less useless words and a few more words of God, always with the Gospel in our pocket, which helps us so much. (EPC)
