Friday

February 10, 2012

Today's gospel recounts Jesus' visit to the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee.  He is in the area of what is known as the Decapolis or the Ten Cities or Ten Towns.  We are invited to be present once again for the healing of a man who could neither speak nor hear.  When Jesus cured these two disabilities, he instructed the onlookers not to share the story of what they witnessed.  These instructions were just too much for them.  They could not restrain their excitement and spread the news!

So what should we take to hear from this event?  Jesus is teaching all of us that what they saw and what we have heard or read again is also meant for us.  Jesus wants to heal our speaking and hearing.  These, if we stop and think about them, are the two human abilities that we are given that enable us, like the excited onlookers, to go out like the disciples and preach the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Did you have the opportunity to do that yesterday?  Did you look for the occasions offered?  Did you carry his message to others in any particular way?  Usually the experience of truly hearing Jesus talk to a person produces an excitement so great that it is preaching the Good News is something the heart wants to do.