6th August Trinity 2008,A Day of Silence

Mark 7, 31-37

6th Trinity August

As he was again leaving the region around Tyre, he went through the country around Sidon to the Sea of Galilee in the middle of the region of the ten cities of the Decapolis. They brought to him one who was deaf and who spoke with difficulty, and asked him to lay his hands on him. And he led him apart from the crowds by himself, laid his finger in his ears, and moistening his finger with saliva, touched his tongue, and looking up to the heavens, sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphata, be opened.” His hearing was opened and the impediment of his tongue was removed and he could speak properly. And he commanded them not to say anything to anyone. But the more he forbade it, the more they widely they proclaimed it. And the people were deeply moved by this event, and said, “He has changed all to the good: the deaf he makes to hear and the speechless to speak. 

6^th August Trinity

August 31, 2008

Wind chimes are clusters of mobile resonant objects. They hang free so that they respond to the breath of the wind. However, if one were to hang a heavy weight on them, they would be silent, no matter how hard the wind blew.

Today’s reading takes place in a cluster of cities. The deaf mute represents a state of mankind; a mankind so tied down with the weight of material concerns, with personal egotism and the burden of sin that it can no longer respond to the breath of the spirit; a mankind that can no longer move with the spirit, sing its song; a mankind not unlike today’s.

In the story it is interesting to note that the deaf mute is brought to Christ by his community, who led the man to Him and asked for healing on his behalf. The breath of the spirit blows through all of them in the Christ-word “Ephphata” – be opened. We cannot free ourselves from impediments by ourselves; we need the help of others, others who pray for us and lead us to Christ; others who catch the breath of the spirit, who open and resonate with it. Wind chimes are clusters that work in concert. But first comes the silence.

The poet:

A day of Silence

Can be a pilgrimage in itself.

A day of Silence

Can help you listen

To the Soul play

Its marvelous lute and drum.

Is not most talking

A crazed defense of a crumbling fort?

I thought we came here

To surrender in Silence,

To yield to Light and Happiness,

To Dance within

In celebration of Love’s Victory![1]


www.thechristiancommunity.org

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[1] Hafiz, “Silence”, in I Heard God Laughing, Renderings of Hafiz, by Daniel Ladinsky, p.129.