September 8, 2024

Christ the King-Epiphany, Wilbraham

The Rev. Martha S. Sipe

September 8, 2024 / Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost / Lectionary 23B

Mark 7:24-37

Ephphatha! “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” That’s the word that Jesus speaks when he opens the ears of the deaf man. You might guess that this word is in Greek, the language the New Testament was written in. But it’s not Greek. Your next guess might be that ephphatha is Hebrew – after all, Jesus was a Jew. But it’s not quite Hebrew, either. Ephphatha is actually an Aramaic word, Aramaic being a variation on Hebrew, the language that Jesus and his disciples actually spoke in daily life. There are only a few times in the gospels where Jesus’ words are recorded in their original Aramaic, and scholars are inclined to think that when we encounter words in Aramaic, we are as close as we can get to the actual words of Jesus. In other words, ephphatha is believed to be a direct quotation. For me, the fact that this word has survived in its original language through centuries of tradition and scores of translations indicates something more. The retention of this Aramaic word says, to me at least, that this word has symbolic power. Not magical power – Jesus was not a magician. The very fact that we find a word in another language in the middle of our English translation makes me sit up and take notice. It makes me think that this word has great significance, not just for the man whose hearing was restored, but also for us.

Ephphatha. Be opened. To be deaf in Jesus’ day would have meant that this poor man was

closed off from so many opportunities. There was no cochlear implant surgery. There were no hearing aids. There was no formalized sign language. Paper didn’t even exist yet, so there were very few examples of the printed word. To be deaf in that time would have meant being closed off from much of life. So when Jesus says ephphatha, he’s not just opening the man’s ears – he’s also opening him to life.

Ephphatha – be opened – it’s a word that Jesus speaks to us, too. And as it was for this man in Mark’s gospel, so also for us it is about so much more than our inability to hear. What else in us is closed and needs to be opened?

Is it our eyes? We see so much unpleasantness – no, ugliness – in the world around us. But that’s not the sum total of our existence. Are we still able to see God at work in and through the people around us? Those shining examples of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? Ephphatha – let our eyes be opened.

How open are our minds? Especially in an election season, especially in this election season, it seems that many minds are closed even to hearing the concerns of folks with different opinions. But we’ll never come together if we can’t listen to one another. Ephphatha – let our minds be opened.

How about our hands? Do we believe that there’s not enough to go around and we’d better clench our hands together to hold on tightly to what is ours? Or do we believe that everything we have comes from God, and that our God is a God of abundance? Ephphatha – let our hands be opened in sharing.

And what’s the status of our calendars? Are they booked so full of appointments and obligations that we can’t find a free moment to give to a worthy project or a friend in need? Ephphatha – let our time be opened.

To all that is closed within us, Jesus says, “Be opened.”

There is an ancient ritual that is still used in some churches today as a preparation of candidates for baptism. It is called the “Ephphatha rite,” named for this Aramaic word that Jesus spoke to open the deaf man’s ears. During the ephphatha rite, the presider marks the sign of the cross on various parts of the candidate’s body, as a prayer to open the whole person to the love of Christ. I’d like to try a variant of that ritual with you today – not as a preparation for baptism, of course, but as a renewal of faith. I will invite you to make a sign of the cross, using your thumb like so, on whichever part of you that I name. Then, I will pray, “Lord, let our selves . . .” and you respond “Be opened.”

So that you may hear the gospel of Christ, the word of life,

receive the ☩ cross on your ears.

Lord, let our ears be opened to hear you speaking.

So that you may see the light of Christ illumining your way,

receive the ☩ cross on your eyes.

Lord, let our eyes be opened to see you beside us.

So that you may sing the praise of Christ, the joy of the church,

receive the ☩ cross on your lips.

Lord, let our lips be opened to tell of your love.

So that God’s mercy may be known in your work,

receive the ☩ cross on your hands.

Lord, let our hands be opened to be your hands in the world.

So that Christ may dwell within you by faith,

receive the ☩ cross on your heart.

Lord, let our hearts be opened.

A couple of weeks ago, I was going down memory lane, listening to a much-loved old CD, and I came across a song that really fits this theme of being opened. I honestly don’t know if this piece was written with Jesus in mind, but it sure reminds me of him. And it works as a prayer for me and I hope for you. This is Cris Williamson, singing “Invocation.”

When in dreaming Sacred comes
(Let our eyes be open)
Music frightens Fear away
(Let our ears be open)
Knowledge of the Blood abounds
(Let our hearts be open)
Hatred holds such fearful sway
(Let our minds be open)
Wisdom be with us this day
(Let our souls be open)
Living long where Love abides
(Let our lives be open)

CHORUS
Open our eyes, open our ears
Open our hearts, open our minds
Open our souls, open our lives
Let our lives be open

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