23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time [B]

 


23RD SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME [B]


I’ll begin by linking the miracle of Mark chapter seven with the prophecy outlined in Isaiah chapter thirty five. In other words, our Gospel passage this weekend seems to build upon our selection from the Old Testament. Jesus issues the command: BE OPENED (Mk. 7:34)! It’s an expression that can be applied on more than one level. In this particular case, it refers to the opening of an ear canal. But the command BE OPENED can likewise be applied to an impaired voice box or an impaired eye socket (see Matt. 12:22). 


We can widen the application further by focusing upon the subject of the human heart. We hear about the opening of eye sockets, ear canals, and voice boxes. And yet, all too often, the problem has more to do with the heart (see Mk. 7:21-23). Note this weekend’s second reading. James includes this message about partiality because hearts are sealing shut when they should be opening wide (2:1-5). Instead of being locked, these hearts need to become unlocked. 


By way of illustration, I’ll recall a memory from the year 1981. I’m an eighteen year old, behind the wheel, driving through the city of Chicago. My good friend from high school has just completed his basic training at Great Lakes Naval Station, located just north of the Windy City. I’ll be picking him up so that he can spend his leave back home in Michigan. His sister and his girlfriend have requested to tag along, which means I will need to exchange cars with my Mom. Her car—a 1974 Buick LeSabre— has superior seating capacity and trunk space. 


As you can imagine, it’s a stressful experience, being eighteen years old and driving through a city like Chicago. However, we finally do arrive at our destination. Now, it’s time to load up and head home. Unfortunately, I don’t have the key to the trunk. Back then, you had one key for the ignition and another key for the locks. I had been given the one key, but not the other. So the good news is that we have an abundance of seating capacity and a very spacious trunk. The bad news is that we have no way of opening the trunk. All we can do is make the best of it, crammed in together, with the baggage piled around us.


The trunk was of no use to us. It remained closed and locked throughout the entire journey. I obviously wanted it to BE OPENED. But the key was not available. Likewise, the Lord wants the human heart to be opened. Is the key being made available to him? That’s a question we’ll each have to answer for ourselves, as we interact with the voice of conscience. In your quieter moments, ask yourself about that key. Ask yourself whether the key should be handed over? Or is it something you feel you have to withhold?  

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