Cultivate a Spirit of Understanding

Shanborlang Mawrie csc.

Readings: 1Kgs 11: 29-32,12: 19; Mk 7: 31-37

In today’s Gospel, we hear the words of Jesus “Ephphatha” – “Be Opened.” The words “be opened” have the possibility to affect our everyday lives. It is a call to transform ourselves from a closed mentality to an open mentality, from various types of rejection to acceptance and from hatred to love. Jesus’ example serves as a timeless reminder to prioritise compassion, urging us to extend understanding beyond conventional boundaries. His encounter with a deaf and mute man gives the clear meaning of openness; instead of observing societal norms that might have kept them apart, He openly engages with the man, exemplifying compassion and inclusivity.

In article 24 of the document Gaudium et Spes by Pope Paul VI says, “God, who has fatherly concern for everyone, has willed that all men should constitute one family and treat one another in a spirit of brotherhood. For having been created in the image of God, who from one man has created the whole human race and made them live all over the face of the earth, all men are called to one and the same goal, namely God Himself.

Today, Jesus challenges us to embrace a broader sense of openness in our own lives. He calls us to inculcate openness to accept the reality of the world and receive others and their words into our lives. It is a call to be true witnesses and radical disciples of our master in our own community, to break down prejudices, reach out to those who may be marginalised, and cultivate a spirit of understanding, empathy, and inclusion.