Reflection
In today’s Gospel, we hear another of Jesus’ physical healings of a Gentile, this time healing a man who is deaf and has a speech impediment. How the crowd reacts is also a valuable lesson for us.
When Jesus approaches a man who is both deaf and a stutterer, Jesus shows his concern for this man's predicament. Jesus takes him aside privately, no doubt to remove him from embarrassment with a noisy crowd of onlookers. Jesus then puts his fingers into the deaf man's ears and he touches the man's tongue with his own spittle to physically identify with this man's infirmity and to awaken faith in him. With a word of command the poor man's ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.
What is the significance of Jesus putting his fingers into the man's ears? Gregory the Great, a church father from the 6th century, comments on this miracle: "The Spirit is called the finger of God. When the Lord puts his fingers into the ears of the deaf mute, he was opening the soul of man to faith through the gifts of the Holy Spirit." The sacraments have a similar effect. The physical nature of the elements used in each sacrament remind us of the spiritual reality of what we receive, namely, an infusion of grace that heals our soul and unites us with God.
The people's response to this miracle testifies to Jesus' great care for others, “He has done all things well.” Their response reveals a sense of awe and wonder about the power of God displayed by Jesus. We too, should approach our faith in Jesus with this same sense of awe and wonder. No problem or burden was too much for Jesus' careful consideration. The Lord treats each of us with kindness and compassion and he calls us to treat one another in like manner. The Holy Spirit who dwells within us enables us to love as Jesus loves. Reacting to Jesus’ love for us with that same love for others prevents us from taking Jesus for granted. Rather, we too can bring to others the love that will leave them in awe and wonder, and more importantly, desiring the spiritual gifts that the Holy Spirit has for them.
Today’s Question for Prayer and Reflection
Do you show kindness and compassion to your neighbors, opening their souls to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit?
Source for today’s reflection: https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2026&date=feb13