September 6, 2015
Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
In today’s Gospel Jesus took the deaf and mute person off to the side away from the crowd and healed him. His healing opens ears to hear God’s word and loosens a tongue to utter God’s praise. So does our rite of Baptism.
After a child is baptized and anointed with sacred Chrism, given a stole or white garment and then the lighted candle, the priest/deacon will state the words of today’s Gospel, “Ephphatha!” meaning be open as he makes the sign of the cross on the child’s lips and on the ear lobes of the child to be open to hear the word of God as well as to proclaim God’s message in speech.
These words and this Gospel set the stage for our challenge of profession of faith by the gifts that we have received from God. – Deacon Jim
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