23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel Bullet Points (Mark 7:31-37)

• Today’s Gospel reading invites us to encounter God in faith. The solace and strength that proceed from our encounters with Jesus will give us new energy for continuing our journey with commitment and joy.
• Physical dumbness or loss of hearing is not an issue in today’s liturgy. It symbolizes the human race. The flight of the deaf and dumb is our flight, too, as long as we refuse to listen to what God is saying and ignore what he commands. Like the deaf-dumb in the gospel, we need the healing touch of Jesus so we can hear His message and live in His ways.
• Being close to the WAYS of GOD, resisting to LISTEN to the WORD, refusing to see beyond our selfishness, hard-headedness, and self-righteousness—these are just some areas of our lives that Jesus came to touch, bless, and heal. There could be more! Trusting in His goodness, allow Him to encounter us in our need for healing.