Daily Gospel Reflection for February 15, 2019

Reflection by Cathy G. Knipper Today's Gospel: Mark 7:31-37 This passage has always made me uncomfortable. It is so...messy. There is spit and fingers in the ears and Jesus groans — He groans! Why? Was the effort of healing this man so great that even the Son of God groaned aloud to manifest this miracle? We know that the power to heal was not just a spiritual but a physical force in Jesus. We see this in the gospel passage where, despite being jostled by the crowds, when the woman with the hemorrhage touched the tassel on His cloak, He knew His healing power had been transferred. Perhaps this deaf man who could not speak clearly presented a unique challenge and so Jesus takes Him away from the crowd. He knew it would be messy and take great concentration — He did not wish to be disturbed in the act of healing. Once the crowd sees this man cured of his affliction they want to speak of this miracle far and wide. Jesus firmly tells them not to tell anyone. Yet the more He expresses this, “the more they proclaimed it.” Each of us has our own “deafness” and impediments that make us unable to proclaim the truth of Jesus in our lives. How many are willing to go through the messy part of healing with Jesus? When we are open to the healing that comes from the Lord, it might be both messy and uncomfortable. Can we endure it if it will bring us to truly hear the Word and proclaim it plainly? Go away from the crowd and be with Jesus. Let Him work His miracles in you. Then, like the crowds at Decapolis, you will say, “He has done all things well.” Like them, you will not stop speaking His praises. For when we come to know Jesus, we cannot be silent.

Ponder:

Are we willing to have the Lord heal us - even though it may be messy and uncomfortable?

Pray:

Lord, help me to hear You. Let my tongue proclaim Your praises, for You do all things well.

Copyright 2019 Cathy G. Knipper Cathy G. Knipper is a Catholic wife and mother to three adult children and two sons-in-law who came to her fully-grown. She is a farmer’s daughter and former journalist turned free-lance book publicist. She writes for Catholic Stand and has written for various on-line and print publications, including Today’s Catholic Teacher and CatholicMom.com. She blogs at awordinprogress.com. Receive CatholicMom.com newsletters in your inbox, including the Daily Gospel Reflection each morning! * indicates required