Monday, March 15

by Peter DuBois

“They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘Ephphatha,’ that is ‘Be opened.’ And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.” – Mark 7: 32, 34-36

Growing up as a Methodist, one of the hymns prominent in my memory (some might say it’s the Methodist Anthem) is “O for a thousand tongues to sing,” written by Charles Wesley in 1739. And I think Wesley must have been inspired by this healing text from Mark, which is the gospel text in today’s lectionary. Among its eighteen verses (yes, 18!) are a catalog of all those whose sins are forgiven through Christ, and who then should proclaim His glory enthusiastically. One stanza, generally omitted today over sensitivities to the physically challenged, grows directly from this passage: “Hear him, ye deaf, his praise, ye dumb, your loosened tongues employ; ye blind, behold your Savior come, and leap, ye lame, for joy.” I believe the metaphor, however, extends way beyond the literal interpretation of the text to include shaking off anything that impedes our ability to praise God and Jesus.

Creator God, help us to recognize the wonderful gift of your Son, and to rid ourselves of any impediment to fully praising you, as if we had a thousand tongues to sing. Amen.