Week of August 23, 2026

My Sisters and Brothers in Jesus Christ,

There is an interesting paradox in this week’s Gospel. Jesus opens the ears and frees the tongue of a man who could not hear or speak clearly—and then tells the crowd not to tell anyone. Yet the more Jesus asks for silence, the more they proclaim what he has done. Perhaps Jesus understood how easily we can become fascinated by the spectacular while missing what the sign is actually pointing toward.

The miracles of Jesus are never simply displays of power. They reveal the Kingdom of God breaking into the world and invite us into a deeper relationship with Christ. It is possible to want what Jesus can do for us without truly wanting to follow him. The Gospel asks us to move beyond simply seeking answers, healing, or help and to ask whether we are willing to let Christ transform our lives.

There is also something wonderfully physical about this healing. Jesus touches the man’s ears and tongue. Throughout the Christian life, God uses ordinary material things—water, oil, bread, wine, human touch—to communicate grace. The sacramental life reminds us that God is not distant from creation but chooses to meet us through it.

Perhaps the word Jesus speaks in the Gospel is also his invitation to us: “Ephphatha”—“Be opened.” May our ears be opened to hear the Gospel, our hearts to recognize God’s grace, our hands to serve those around us, and our voices to proclaim the saving love of God revealed in Jesus Christ.
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Peace,
Rev. Ben