Be Opened

From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, ‘Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ But she answered him, ‘Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.’ Then he said to her, ‘For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.’ So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. 

Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘Ephphatha’, that is, ‘Be opened.’ And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.’ Mark 7:24-37

Be Opened

In most places the world is shuttered
churches and restaurants sealed up
all of hiding in our overstocked homes
not hearing the call to be opened.

We have shut our compassion down
building walls to hunker down behind
failing to see the stranger's need
failing to hear the cries of the children.

We shelter in place and are terrified
yet moving in the midst of this silence
the ancestors sing on the warming wind
sending peace and comfort to us all.

They lived in camps and in captivity
small pox blankets offered as gifts
abuse and shame a normal day
still the Creator promises new sights.

In another season we will know
the blessings showered in our fear
the healing growing all around us
the new world being born again.