From the Gospel according to Mark 7:31–37
Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,into the district of the Decapolis.And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him.He took him 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.He ordered them not to tell anyone.But the more he ordered them not to,the more they proclaimed it.They were exceedingly astonished and they said,”He has done all things well.He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak”
The Gospel of the Lord
Are we deaf and mute?
How important it was that this person was willing to go where Jesus was, allowing himself to be led by his friends. First, he had to recognize that he could not hear. Then, he had to let others guide him. And finally—and most importantly—he had to trust in Jesus. That trust is what allowed the Lord to work the miracle, restoring his hearing and his speech. Spouses, let us come together into His presence, and He will work miracles in our marriage and in our family.
Applied to married life
Paul: Mary, are you okay? You’ve been very quiet since we left Mass.
Mary: If you don’t mind, I’ll share it with you tonight during our couple prayer. I’m really moved—I’ve had a beautiful experience.
Paul: Wow, I can’t wait to hear it.
Mary: Thank you, love, for being so understanding and for waiting until tonight.
(That night, during their couple prayer)
Paul and Mary: Holy Spirit, come into our hearts each day…
Paul: We place ourselves in the Lord’s presence…Mary: (after a moment of silence) Paul, I want to share with you what happened to me this morning. Before going to Mass, I was doing an examination of conscience because I felt I needed to go to confession. When we arrived at church, I went to greet the Lord in the tabernacle, and He shed light on a very old sin—something from long before my conversion. It was as if He said to me, “Ephphatha.” Suddenly, I remembered something very painful I had done years ago, something I hadn’t thought about in a long time. I felt frozen. But just then, you took my hand and squeezed it, and that gave me the strength to stand up and kneel in the confessional. There, I experienced God’s mercy in such a beautiful way—He forgave my brokenness… Even now, thinking about it brings tears to my eyes. And yes, it was a serious sin.
Paul: Mary, you are so beautiful. What you shared reminds me of Saint Paul’s words to the Romans: “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” Blessed and praised be the Lord! Thank you for trusting me with this. I love you so much, Mary.
Mother,
What a precious gift the sacrament of confession is. Grant me the grace to receive it often, after making a sincere examination of conscience. Blessed and praised be the Lord for His great mercy!