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First Reading: Genesis 3:1-8
Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals
that the Lord God had made.
The serpent asked the woman,
“Did God really tell you not to eat
from any of the trees in the garden?”
The woman answered the serpent:
“We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;
it is only about the fruit of the tree
in the middle of the garden that God said,
‘You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.’”
But the serpent said to the woman:
“You certainly will not die!
No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it
your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods
who know what is good and what is evil.”
The woman saw that the tree was good for food,
pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom.
So she took some of its fruit and ate it;
and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her,
and he ate it.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened,
and they realized that they were naked;
so they sewed fig leaves together
and made loincloths for themselves.
When they heard the sound of the Lord God moving about in the garden
at the breezy time of the day,
the man and his wife hid themselves from the Lord God
among the trees of the garden.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7
R./ Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.
Blessed is he whose fault is taken away,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the Lord imputes not guilt,
in whose spirit there is no guile.
R./ Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
my guilt I covered not.
I said, “I confess my faults to the Lord,”
and you took away the guilt of my sin.
R./ Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.
For this shall every faithful man pray to you
in time of stress.
Though deep waters overflow,
they shall not reach him.
R./ Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.
Gospel Reading: Mark 7:31-37
Jesus left the district of Tyre
and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,
into the district of the Decapolis.
And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment
and begged him to lay his hand on him.
He took him off by himself away from the crowd.
He put his finger into the man’s ears
and, spitting, touched his tongue;
then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and 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.
He ordered them not to tell anyone.
But the more he ordered them not to,
the more they proclaimed it.
They were exceedingly astonished and they said,
“He has done all things well.
He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Opening Prayer
Our saving God,?
Jesus your Son made those who were deaf hear ?
and those who were dumb speak.?
Make us see that often we are stutterers ?
and hard of hearing.?
Open our ears to the message of your Son?
that it may stir our hearts and change our lives.?
Loosen our tongues to proclaim?
the great things you do for us?
through your Son, Jesus Christ,?
our Lord and Savior for ever.
First Reading Introduction: You will be like gods, knowing what is good and what is evil.
Why do people sin? According to the author of Genesis, sinning is not the nature of humans: they were created good. But as far as the memory of people goes, they have sort of rebelled against God, they wanted to be their own masters, to decide for themselves what they wanted. This is put here in the form of a story that expresses also our solidarity in sin.
Gospel Introduction: He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.
A sign that Jesus is the Promised Savior is that he first goes to the poor, the sick, the marginalized people, for they need him most. Not only material poverty is meant. The deaf and the mute, the hard of hearing and the stammerers are we who are shut up within ourselves, often closed to God and to one another. Jesus comes to open our ears and mouths to the words and deeds of God, that we may listen to his message and respond to his love, and that we may also hear those who are poor and speak to them. Note that this miracle too happens in pagan territory. Let Jesus in the Eucharist heal us and commit us to God and people.
General Intercessions
– For the Church, that we may not only love the poor and care for them, but also protest with courage when they are trampled upon, we pray:
– For educators in the faith—priests, sisters, catechists, teachers—that they themselves may listen to God’s word, and then pass it on with conviction and love, we pray:
– For those who are deaf and blind to other people and to their love and needs, that their eyes and hearts may be opened to the treasures of love and sharing, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord, our God, merciful Father,?
you set the table of your Son?
for rich and poor alike.?
By the strength of this bread of life,?
do not allow us to remain deaf?
to your voice crying out?
in the needs of the poor and the oppressed.?
Teach us and help us to speak to them?
not just words of pity?
but deeds of justice, dignity, and love.?
May this be the sign?
that your Son is alive among us,?
he who is our Lord and Savior for ever.
Prayer after Communion
Saving God,?
in your Son, Jesus Christ, you have chosen?
what is poor and weak in this world,?
to be rich in faith and love?
and to be heirs to your kingdom.?
Jesus did all things well.?
Speak through us who were once?
faint-hearted and tongue-tied?
deeds of mercy and hope,?
for you have healed and freed us all?
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Blessing
Jesus has been with us in this Eucharistic celebration to bring us out of our isolation and to open us in respect and love to God and to our neighbor, that is, to all. Like Jesus, may we become available particularly to the poorest among us and let them feel that, with God, we too care. May Almighty God give you this openness and bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
