Reflection 23rd Sunday OT - Arms Flailing

Arms  Flailing

Isaiah 35:4-7a; Psalm 146:7,8-9, 9-10; James 2:1-5; Mark 7:31-37

I was seven and a movie scared me. It was “The Miracle Worker” the story of Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan. What scared me was the wild child Helen Keller. She was blind, deaf, and mute. At the beginning of the movie Helen tries to communicate in a foreign world; running around arms flailing with sobs, screams, and groans.

Annie Sullivan comes as a teacher. She enters Helen’s world. Annie communicates with Helen by letting her touch lips, tongue, and throat. Touch taught Helen.  

Jesus came to teach change. He entered our world to touch humanity and heal us. Here he comes into the life of a man who cannot hear or speak. Jesus enters his world. Jesus sticks his fingers in deaf ears and spits on the tongue. Jesus looks to heaven and with the groan the deaf man was able to feel prayed to God. Jesus touched him. Today the risen Christ touches each of us.

Why did Jesus tell them not to tell anyone?

Jesus wasn’t there to be a miracle worker. He wasn’t “Jesus Christ, Superstar.”  He hushed people to minimize the crowds. Jesus was there to be a teacher of change; but, the miracle seekers didn’t understand. Their ears were closed to Jesus true message.   

I was like that. Sometimes, I felt like young Helen, scared and frantically running arms flailing in the world reaching out with sobs, screams, and groans to God. Then Christ touched me. Where I was broken, He healed me. He has done that for many of us, yet so many keep quiet. Jesus is not telling us to be quiet.

We should follow the example of Christ’s servant, Pope Francis; a man living in the world as a humble Christian. He preaches a message of love. Like Jesus, the world can see and hear his message but does not always understand. Even some Catholics do not hear and can end up running around flailing, sobbing, screaming, and crying.

Pope Francis preaches the same message as James. Christ has chosen the poor. Don’t make decisions based on looks or by our fear. Don’t reject those different or unattractive or in a bad place. We are to see, hear, and speak Christ in these things. If we fail, we fail to love God. We fail “the promises made to those who love him.”

Jesus’ miracles were told by those He healed. Even the apostle’s had their eyes and ears opened to the Word. Their tongues were freed to bring the gospel to the world. Pope Francis preaches the Gospel as a voice for the voiceless. He shares it with the world. We are to do the same: share the Good News with opened eyes, opened ears, and proclaim it with our mouth.

Tell the world: Love and forgive sinners; Minister and care for the sick; Give to the poor; Take care of those who cannot care for themselves; Respect life; and, Respect those with who you don’t agree. Show the world how Christ has touched you.  

If Christ is in us, we won’t be scared running around arms flailing searching for God. Instead, we see and hear. We praise the Lord by sharing his love with the world.