“What we are asked to do is to love, and this love itself will render both ourselves and our neighbors worthy.” – Thomas Merton

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Thank you!

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Mark 7:33-35

Jesus took (the deaf man) off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”) And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly.

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What immediately strikes me here is the messiness of this healing.

This is not the picture of some all powerful God simply waving his hand like a magic act and, voila, instant cure!

This healing is very, shall we say, earthy.

It involves touching, spitting, and groaning.

It is very human.

It is very intimate.

I’m reminded of something very powerful and thought-provoking that Jesus said:

“Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these” (John 14:12).

Really?

We will do greater works than these?

Perhaps the translation that gives us, “whoever believes in me,” could be more accurately put, “whoever takes to heart my words and my ways” will do even greater things.

Perhaps Jesus is inviting us into opening ourselves to the Divine acting through us, to allow the Great Love that energizes all things to flow through us so that others can be healed and made whole.

Jesus was a whole-maker.

He didn’t question a person as to whether they deserved healing.

He didn’t use any litmus test to determine whether he would act.

This is the way of Love.

This is the way of Christ.

The question is: Will we do likewise?

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Listen to the song of the day “Make Me a Channel” on the Listen to Your Heart album by clicking HERE.

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Remember: God loves you!