It is 9th September 2018. We celebrate Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time. The readings are from Isaiah 35:4-7; the second reading is from James 2:1-5; and the Gospel from Mark 7:31-37. Whether life has made us to be deaf and dumb or a few individuals have contributed to such conditions or we are born with the lack of faulty of hearing and speaking, the Lord is willing to heal us. God takes initiatives healing our conditions whatever it may. God doe not show any favouritism, partiality or treating one person better than the other. God treats us all as equals. We must not judge people unjustly and keep them underrated. In the first reading the prophet Isaiah assures the people that God is coming to heal the blind, the deaf, the lame and to make our lands fertile again. God wants to bless us all with all kind of the spiritual, material and physical welfare. The responsorial Psalm acclaims, “Praise the Lord, my soul.” (Ps146:1). In the second reading, St. James reassures all those who are poor that God intends to fill them with faith and blessings of the kingdom because God loves the poor, the voiceless, the marginalised and the less-fortunate. He admonishes all that we must not ill treat anyone or refuse the honour and dignity one deserves just because one is not rich enough materially. Let us treat everyone as equals as God treats us. Our life become happy and contented when we share what we have with the other. God who has given the resources also has power to refill it when we have given to the others. Let there be no different standards and yard stick in relating and offering help to the other. Every human person God has created is rich indeed and wants to contribute towards the welfare of the other always. In the Gospel, Jesus offers healing to the deaf and dumb person and restores his speech and hearing. The blindness in the person is visible but the deafness is not yet it is so painful personally. Jesus does not want a personal advertisement for healing anyone including this person. Jesus desires that we all be able hear the Word of God and to proclaim it to the others without any alternation. Good News takes the precedence to the miracles of the Lord. We become the person God wants us to be when we are able to hear the Word God. Let our actions declare the mercy of God. May our words and actions not shut the hearts and zip the lips of those who hear it rather to make them loving and sharing. Jesus wants to heal the deafness and dumbness in our communities, may we become the instruments of love, mercy and healing? May God bless every effort we make to heal the humanity. May you have a good day.