THE GOSPEL
Mark 7:31-37He said to him, “Ephphatha!”—that is, “Be opened!” —
And immediately the man’s ears were opened,
his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly.
Jesus,
please,
open our ears
so we can hear you
in the pleading of the poor,
in the cry of earth’s resources,
in the cry of the war-torn,
the immigrant,
the hungry.
Open our ears
so we can hear you
in the crash of the waves,
the sound of children laughing,
in the call of a friend, in favored music.
We want to know you well;
wherever you are—
in all things.
Open our deaf ears
and loosen our
tongues.
Let us hear and speak
your love to all
the world.
THE FIRST READING
Isaiah 35:4-7a
Here is your God; he comes to save you.
Christ,
you make our thirsty ground
into pools of living water.
You open our eyes
and choke
back our
tears.
You make melody burst from our mouths,
streams flow from our wasteland,
and rivers from barren plains!
We long to drink
of
real
water.
THE SECOND READING
James 2:1-5
Did not God choose those who are poor in the world
to be rich in faith?
Sometimes shabby is happy.
And fine clothes and
fine roof bring
woe!
Jesus,
we beg you,
take us into your poverty.
Make us rich
in love.
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