Ephphatha

"After looking up into the sky he groaned and said to him, Ephphatha, which means, Open up," Mark 7:34.

Just before that, Jesus had touched the guy's tongue, and just before that, Jesus had spit, and just before that, Jesus had put his fingers into the guy's ears. Before that, a bunch of people had brought him the deaf and mute guy. Before that, Jesus had called out to religious authorities worried about cleanliness of foods to listen and learn: You don't get defiled by what you eat and put into your gut. You get defiled by what comes out of it. More to the point, you get defiled by what comes out of the heart: evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. So when Jesus healed the deaf and mute guy, Jesus said, Open your ears, listen, and learn! That guy did, and spread the word clearly about it. But Jesus' real audience didn't hear.

With a brother or sister today we listen to our Lord's words that speak healing and life to our broken, defiled hearts. And, together, in thanksgiving, we open our hearts to God's cleansing Word.