Healing and Insight: A Reflection on Scripture Meditations

Based on Mark 7:31-37. For today’s reflection/meditation I’ll be using the 4 Simple Steps to Better Scripture Meditations method. This post will basically be a sharing of my worksheet for the day. Click on the links above if you’d like to learn this method. It may also be a good practice (or penance) for Lent!

Step 1: Clear the Mind

I have a lot on my mind today (when don’t I!?). I paid our property taxes but I’m not sure if the treasurer received the check yet. I don’t want a late penalty. I need to stop at the store and get food for our Rosary & Desert event on Sunday. Everyone except Samuel will be over for the weekend. I need to take care of the chickens. Good, got it out of my system. I’ll deal with it all after my time with the Lord.

Step 2: Read the Scriptures

You can find today’s readings here(NABRE), or here(RSVCE).

Over the past week we have seen the precipitous fall of King Solomon in the first readings. Today, Solomon’s reign is ended with the actions of the prophet Ahijah who literally “rips” the Kingdom to pieces. It is both a prophecy and symbolic of what will now happen to the 12 tribes of Israel because of Solomon’s infidelity to the Lord.

The Psalm reminds us of the fault, punishment, and antidote to Solomon’s behavior: he worshipped other gods, God left him and his followers to follow their own ways, those who stay true to the Lord will have the Lord on their side.

The Gospel tells the story of Jesus healing the deaf and mute man.

Step 3: Join the Story

Today I chose to be the deaf and mute man. I imagined what it must have been like to be completely deaf, hearing absolutely nothing. It made me appreciate my hearing that much more. In my heart I longed to hear my wife, children, and grandchildren. I searched for the sounds of birds outside my window, the rain on the roof, and my favorite music (Vivaldi, BTW).

I longed to express myself in words but they would not form. Beautiful poetry I had composed in my heart came out as brutish grunts and gurgles. I tried desperately to say, “I love you” to those closest to me, but my tongue rebelled.

I could neither hear the world around me nor express the world within. A wall, a tangled web, kept sound without and sound within.

Then He touched my ears and tongue. I was overwhelmed with a myriad of sounds that rushed in as He removed His fingers from my ears. The murmuring of the people. The free air filled with tinkles, chirps, clicks, and laughter – joyful laughter. Who, who was laughing with such joy at the cutting away of the webs!? It was me! The sounds tickled my mind and and I was overcome with joy. I laughed through tears! I spoke to Him in my laughter and joy, “thank you, haha, thank you, thank you!” I spoke words that I had never heard! I heard things that I had never imagined. “Thank you, rabbi, thank you, bless you.“

He asked me to stay quite but how could I? How could I? My soul was overwhelmed. My ears were open, my mouth unchained. How could He expect me, or my friends, to remain silent!? Impossible! Impossible! So sorry my dear friend, but impossible! You would have better luck asking the stones to cry out than for me to remain silent!

Step 4: Ask, Seek, Find!

Oh Jesus, as I asked you this morning at Mass, “please take away my tinnitus, heal me too.” Yet, not my will, but yours. I often worry that this affliction will bring about an early dementia for me and so I ask for healing. Yet, as the quote on my water bottle says, from Blessed Chiara Badano, “For you Jesus, if you want this. So do I.” If you want me to have this issue, I do too.

Bonus Step: Give Thanks

Lord, thank You for the gift of sound and he gift of speech. I truly appreciate these gifts from You. I love to say and hear, “I forgive you and I love you“. I love the sounds of spring peepers, laughter, rain, music, and so much more. I cherish the ability to express myself to others in words of compassion, comfort, and peace. May I never misuse these gifts by listening to that which is offensive to You or speaking in anger against another made in your image and likeness. Thank you, thank you, thank you for these wonderful gifts!