Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, B

	Isaiah 35: 4-7a
	Psalm 146
	James 2: 1-5
	Mark 7: 31-37  MYM#22, God Has Done All Things Well

The Scriptures today speak about the healing of the deaf.  The First Reading, from the 
book of the prophet Isaiah, talks about the return of Israel from its exile.  The 
characteristics of that return include signs such as “the ears of the deaf [will] be opened.”  
The Septuagint version of Isaiah uses the Greek word mogilalon to describe dumbness; 
St. Mark uses the very same word in today’s Gospel passage.  The word is very rarely 
encountered in the Scripture, so the coincidence of it links these passages strongly.  The 
Responsorial Psalm enjoins the Christian, “Praise the Lord, my soul!”  and goes on to list 
the reasons for praising God: “The Lord gives sight to the blind, and raises up those who 
were  bowed down.”  By the way St. Mark has positioned this event in his Gospel, he 
hopes to “open the ears of his disciples who have been deaf to Jesus’ word.”  (Reginald 
Fuller)   

St. Ambrose takes this pericope and puts it into the context of initiation.  He says:

“Every Sabbath we witness the ‘opening up’ of a mystery.  It is in outline form the type of 
that liturgical ‘opening’ when the bishop once touched your ears and nostrils.  What does 
this mean?  Remember in the Gospel, our Lord Jesus Christ, when the deaf and dumb 
man was presented to him, touched his ears and mouth:  the ears, because he was deaf, 
and the mouth, because he was dumb.  And he said, Ephphatha, a word that means in our 
Latin adaperire (i.e., be opened).  In this way the bishop is now touching your ears, that 
your ears may be opened to this sermon and exhortation.”  De mysteriis I.4

The continuous reading of the Letter of James today reminds us that class and social 
implications have no place in the Christian assembly.  This grows out of the reason that 
“God chose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom,” 
through baptism.  Though the social condition of many Christians is of much higher 
standing today than in was when the Letter was written, the truth it expresses retains its 
validity.

This hymn is based on today’s Scriptures:
"Say to those whose hearts are frightened,
Here is God, so do not fear!
Strong and mighty to deliver
Is our God who now draws near!
Then the deaf will hear the singing
Of those walking desert ways
Which, renewed with springs of water,
Blossom forth with joyful praise.

Jesus, Lord of all the living,
Came to bring new life to all,
Healing ears which, newly-opened,
Heard your loving Gospel call.
"All he does is good!" said people
Awed by power used to aid.
Give us strength, restore our hearing
That our hearts be not afraid!

Open hearts to know your message:
Let distinctions be unknown
In the midst of this, your Body,
That we love and justice own.
As you chose us, poor and needy,
Help us rich in faith to live
Lives of service, faith, and goodness,
Giving, Lord, as you did give.

        87.87.D    
        suggested tune:  Nettleton


Propers from the Roman Gradual

Introit:  Justus es (Ps. 119:137, 124)
Righteous are you, O Lord, and all your judgments are upright.
Deal with your servant according to your merciful kindness.
	Happy are they whose way is blameless,
	who walk in the law of the Lord.

Offertory:  Oravi Deum meum (Daniel 9:4,17,19)
I, Daniel, prayed to my God and made confession, saying:
“Hear, O Lord, the prayer and petition of your servant,
and make your countenance to shine upon the place of your sanctuary.
Listen and act without delay toward this your people
and this the city which bear your Name, this Jerusalem, O God.

Communion:  Vovete (Ps. 76:11-12)
Make a vow unto the Lord your God and keep it;
let all those who are around about him bring presents unto him.
He is worthy to be feared, he who breaks the spirits of princes;
he strikes terror among all the kings of the earth.

Propers from the Simple Gradual

The suite of antiphons and psalms from Ordinary Time V (BFW 259–268) — 
God’s justice — is especially appropriate.

Response: Alleluia psalm BFW 291; 
Gospel acclamation: BFW 290
Communion: BFW 89 (I will go to the altar of God . . .)
    or BFW 79 (The Lord is my light and my salvation) 
    or BFW 228 (And all the people marveled . . . )