23 Sunday B: Shorter Version

23rd Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 09.09.2018
Isaiah 35:4-7/ James 2:1-5/ Mark 7: 31-37

The mother-tongue is understood as the language that is learnt from birth.
It is also sometimes called the native language, but still the term “mother-tongue” is more endearing.
More than just a being a language that our mothers taught us, it is the language that resonates deep within us, it is the language of the heart.

23 Sunday B: Ephphatha - Be Opened

23rd Sunday B from Padir Neylu

 Michel DeVerteuil 
Textual Comments
We are given the context of today’s story: it took place as Jesus was “returning from the district of Tyre”. He was passing “by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee” and this brought him “right through the Decapolis region”. This reminds us that we must know how to leave our ordinary surroundings so that we can meet people like this man.
Today’s gospel passage is a healing story. We must be careful to interpret these stories correctly. For example, we would be wrong to draw the conclusion that since Jesus healed miraculously, all his followers are called to do the same. That would be to misunderstand the meaning of the miracles.