’Then looking up to heaven he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha”, that is, “Be opened.” And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released and he spoke plainly.’ Jesus healing a deaf man in Mark 7:24-37.
“Rose Ayling-Ellis, who’s been absolutely sensational, has taught me more about the art of communication and about teamwork… It’s been honestly one of the real joys of my life to work with her and I think I’ve learned a lot from her. And we’ve had a lot of fun!” Clare Balding, of her deaf co-presenter on Channel 4’s Paralympics coverage.
Today’s Gospel is first set in Tyre, Gentile territory where Jesus wants to keep his presence quiet – perhaps for some peace after a busy time or perhaps to avoid further criticism from the Jews attacking him. However, a Syrophoenician woman hears of his arrival and comes to him, falling at his feet in a sign of humility. As a woman, and a Gentile of Canaanite descent with whom the Jews were in conflict, there would usually be no contact between the two of them and Jesus is not tactful in his reply to the unnamed woman’s request for healing for her daughter. However, she perseveres and, displaying great faith in him despite their differences, this outsider enables Jesus to realise that his mission may be greater and wider than he has realised. As she refuses to give up and counters what he says, so Jesus fulfills her hopes because of her persistence. When he tells her to go home as her daughter has been healed, the woman does as he suggests at that point and finds that her daughter is indeed well. She has enabled Jesus to see beyond the immediate and to perceive that his ministry is for all people including Gentiles, an insight that changes his own perceptions of what he is about.
Jesus’ ministry continues as he goes through Sidon and a deaf man with a speech defect is brought to him. He takes the man aside and heals him, although using his own spittle on his tongue would not be considered good practice today! As Jesus tells him to “Be opened” he also orders the unnamed man not to tell anyone but is not open himself to the consequences that the healing will bring as word of it spreads. The people are astounded and just cannot help themselves – good news is infectious!
Today, bad news often seems to predominate and one of the things the Prime Minister has been accused of in these early days of his premiership is being too gloomy about the circumstances facing the UK currently. However, one of the good news stories recently has been that of Rose Ayling-Ellis, the deaf contestant who won Strictly Come Dancing and is now co-presenting the Paralympics on Channel 4. With the support of two signers, one covering what others are saying and the other the editorial directions in the earpieces worn, Rose has achieved what many had thought would not be possible, just as Libby Clegg has become the first blind pundit to comment on athletics. Unusually, 25% of Channel 4’s production team and 80% of those presenting have some form of disability which has not been allowed to hold them back – Paralympic events build on what is possible rather than not. That has enabled ways of overcoming disability that creates openings which can astound – just as the crowd was astounded by Jesus, as he enabled the deaf man to hear and speak and found his own vision widened by an outsider who enabled him to see things differently.
There may be times for us when we are being shortsighted or are deaf to what we are being told, although our actual vision and hearing are not impaired – or, like the Syrophoenician woman, we may be the means of enabling others to realise this for themselves. Perhaps like the deaf man, we also need to “Be opened” to seeing and hearing how things actually are?
With my prayers; pob bendith,
Christine, Priest Guardian.