'Lord, open my ears':
So I can hear the words of life

		Living the Scriptures  with St. Paul University  Catholic Center  Brad Klingele

"And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech . . ." (Mk 7:32a).

I am the parent of deaf children. When I ask them to tidy up, they are deaf. Miraculously, they hear when I whisper an offer of ice cream.

I too have selective deafness. The other day I was immersed in writing when a friend stopped by to talk. He proceeded to describe his recent doctor visit, while I interjected the occasional "uh-huh" here and head nod there as I simultaneously continued typing.

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Sunday, Sept. 10, 2006) Is 35:4-7a Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10 Jas 2:1-5 Mk 7:31-37

Thinking I was doing a good job of multitasking, I looked up and asked whether he had received the results of a major medical test he had recently taken. He gave me a long look and explained that he had been telling me about the test results for the past five minutes.

In this week's gospel, the deaf man's friends "besought (Jesus) to lay his hand upon him" (Mk 7:32b). My friend probably wished Jesus would do the same thing to me.

Of course, this wasn't the only time I've needed Jesus to heal my ears. My family tells me all the time that I fail to hear them. While my children and wife talk, I have been known to nod, grunt, and pretend to listen.

I am often deaf to the storm of child-created chaos swirling around me, including the occasional shout of pain as one daughter collides with another, with an inanimate object, or with an insult hurled at her by one of her sisters. So how can Christ, the Word of God, open my ears?

For one thing, Jesus's life gives me hope that I am not the only one with a hearing problem. The deaf man, the people of Israel, and the apostles also had a hard time hearing properly. Chief among their failures was a single-minded focus on their own needs and expectations.

They were too busy listening for what they wanted to hear to listen to the words of life God wanted to share with them. Many of Jesus' followers were able to hear what the Word of God was saying only after the resurrection.

Now as then, the Word of God is here, speaking to me through members of His body, the Church. In the Scriptures, I can listen to Jesus' word to me for the day. In the Eucharist, I can hear Him offering Himself: "This is my body," and "This is my blood," calling me to join Him by sharing my life with those around me in sacrificial love.

Jesus wants me to hear that I am called to carry my cross and freely give myself - not only when it is convenient or satisfying, but when I am in the midst of a book, a movie, or bad mood. And when I get it all wrong, as I did when I ignored my friend, I have the chance to listen to God's words of forgiveness and start over again.

	Reflection questions • In what ways are you deaf? • When can you make time each day to listen to Christ in prayer?

If I am trying to listen carefully to Christ throughout the day, I am much more likely to listen to others when they need me. When I start the day asking Jesus to help me hear, I find that he "opens my ears" to the needs of those around me and to the lessons I need to learn every day.

Brad Klingele, father of five, is the RCIA coordinator for St. Paul University Catholic Center and director of Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Madison.

St. Paul's Web site is www.stpaulscc.org

Faith Alive!

In a Nutshell The word "liturgy" comes from the Greek for "public work." The early Christians' "public work" was giving praise to God through Jesus Christ. Liturgy is the action of the whole community of faith gathered together. It requires participation by every community member to be all it should be. Christ's presence in the liturgy is a clear reminder of God's constant presence to us. Catholic News Service 3211 Fourth St NE Washington DC 20017 202.541.3250 cns@catholicnews.com	Food for Thought   Participants in the church's worship, particularly the Mass, are moved in two directions. First, the Mass draws us toward a central point of focus, which is Christ and our relationship with him. Second, as the October 2005 world Synod of Bishops said, the Mass propels us outward into the world to become peacemakers and people who serve. "It is in the commitment to transform unjust structures and to re-establish the dignity of man, created in the image and likeness of God, that the Eucharist assumes in life the significance it has in celebration," the synod said. It added that "this dynamic movement opens up to the world." full story   A liturgical tap on the shoulder By Edward P. Hahnenberg Catholic News Service Sometimes church seems like a lot of work. With two young daughters, my wife and I often return home from Sunday Mass more physically exhausted than spiritually refreshed. One of us usually spends the service chasing our toddler around the gathering space. The other sits with our 3-year-old, who seems to finish all her puzzles, coloring books and snacks before the opening hymn ends. full story  What liturgy asks of us By Father Lawrence E. Mick Catholic News Service Have you ever watched a group of people square-dancing? Years ago I was pastor of a small country parish where it was popular to square-dance. I was always fascinated by the ability of a large number of people to move so rapidly in such complex patterns without running into each other! full story  What preparation for liturgical roles involves By Dan Luby Catholic News Service Eight months pregnant, she finds sitting on the floor uncomfortable. Gingerly, yet gracefully, she sits down on the little perch she's made for herself with a pillow on the top step of the platform. "Now tell me a story," she says to the deacon candidate at the podium. The perplexity on his face prompts her to offer more detail. full story
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