Liturgical day: Friday 5th in Ordinary Time
Gospel text (Mk 7,31-37): Again Jesus set out; from the country of Tyre, passed through Sidon and, skirting the sea of Galilee, he came to the territory of Decapolis. There a deaf man who also had difficulty in speaking was brought to him. They asked Jesus to lay his hand upon him. Jesus took him apart from the crowd, put his fingers into the man's ears and touched his tongue with spittle. Then, looking up to heaven, he groaned and said to him, «Epheta», that is, be opened.
And his ears were opened, his tongue was loosened, and he began to speak clearly. Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone, but the more he insisted on this, the more they proclaimed it. The people were completely astonished and said, «He has done all things well; he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak».
«He has done all things well»
+ Fr. Joan MARQUÉS i Suriñach
(Vilamarí, Girona, Spain)
Today, the Gospel presents us with a miracle of Jesus: he makes the deaf hear and the mute speak. The people was astonished and said: «He has done all things well» (Mk 7:37).
This is Jesus' biography as narrated by his contemporaries. A short but complete biography. Who is this Jesus? He is who has done all things well. In the double sense of the word: in the what and the how, in the substance and the manner. He is who has only done good deeds, and who has done them well, perfectly and properly finished. Jesus is a person that does everything well, because He does only good works, and those He does, He delivers well finished. He does not leave anything unfinished; nor does He leave it to be finished later on.
—Why don't you also try to leave everything ready now: your prayers; treating your family and other people; your work; the apostolate; your diligence to develop yourself both spiritually and professionally... Be demanding with yourself, and be also demanding, softly, but demanding, with those depending upon you. Do not tolerate any shoddiness. God dislikes them and they bother your fellowmen. Do not take this attitude just to pretend, nor because this procedure is the most profitable one, even from a human point of view; do it because God does not like “bad” works nor “good” things done badly. The Holy Scripture asserts: «The works of God are perfect» (Deut 32:4). And the Lord, through Moses, tells the People of Israel: «Do not bring anything with a defect, because it will not be accepted on your behalf» (Lev 22:20). Ask for the maternal help of the Virgin Mary, as Jesus also did.
Saint Josemaria offers us the secret to succeed: «Do what you should and watch what you do». Is this how you behave?