September 5, 2021 – Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time – “B”-Cycle – Mark 7: 31-37

As many of you know, on some Sundays during the season of Lent, I like to preach what the church calls “guided meditations.” These were popularized by St Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order. On those “guided meditation Sundays,” instead of telling stories and providing examples of putting the Gospel into practice, I would proclaim the Gospel, and then invite us to place ourselves into the midst of the Gospel scene with Jesus. It seems to me that today’s Gospel provides us with an excellent opportunity grow closer to Jesus, by seeing and experiencing his earthly ministry on a very personal level.             

So, as we begin, I’ll invite you to clear your laps of anything you’re holding; if you can place your hands flat on your knees, and sit up straight with your feet on ground if you can. It would also be a help if you can close your eyes; that will cut down on the number of distractions for you. Together, we can take a deep breath IN, and slowly let our breath out, smoothly and easily.    We’ll do that a few more times: breathe fully IN, breathe slowly out.

So, we place ourselves in the Gospel. We’re not alone: our friends brought us to see Jesus; our friends KNOW that we’re struggling with something or someone in our lives: every one of us is! As we get up close to where Jesus is standing, He invites you to tell him in your own words what’s wrong: what you are suffering with, and what or who is challenging your peace. In your heart, tell Jesus now [p]. 

After you are done speaking, Jesus surprises you. He thanks your friends for bringing you to Him for the healing and help you need: imagine how GOOD we would all feel to be  thanked personally by Jesus for offering care and support to someone else. Take a moment now: tell Jesus in your heart the names of friends and/or family members for whom you are grateful. [p]            

Then, Jesus invites you to take a walk alone with him, away from the crowds, and away from the friends that brought you to him. For a minute, you can’t believe you are getting 1-on-1 time alone with Jesus, and experiencing his great love for us!  Take a moment: tell Jesus how grateful you are to have this “alone time” with Jesus: to listen to and learn from him[p]

Jesus prays quietly with you for a moment: He looks to God in heaven and says one single word: ”Ephaphata!”, which means “be opened!” It’s a word from the language Jesus himself spoke on earth, called Aramaic. After Jesus says this word loudly, a healing takes place inside you. It’s truly a miracle!  You have NOT felt THIS good for many months or years: you are glad! Tell Jesus how you feel, now that He is personally healing you. [p]

When Jesus takes you back to where the friends who brought you to Him are standing, they all see the differences in you! They can see that because of Jesus’ healing, the stress, anxiety, and tensions have faded from your eyes. What a blessing it is for your friends to see that you are well, and healthier, because of Jesus! And when you start to tell them about the experience of Jesus healing and helping you, they are SO happy for you. THEY thank Jesus for healing you, even as Jesus tells them that they are ALL blessings, for bringing you to him.  Tell Jesus WHO ELSE you want to tell about this wonderful miracle He has provided for you. [p] 

As we come to the end of our meditation, Jesus is getting ready to move on to the next town, where there will be other people who are hurting and who need help. As Jesus moves on, we feel the floor beneath our feet here in church. If we’d closed our eyes, we open them slowly. We regain our awareness of being connected to, and surrounded by, all the baptized people who are here in church with us today. You are grateful to be a member of the parish, surrounded with faith-filled people: you believe you will remember this day for a good long time: the day when Jesus came to plant his healing love in your heart personally.