Deaf Mute : Mark 7:31
My friends brought me to Jesus the afternoon of my niece's twelfth birthday. We had been celebrating at home with some special cakes and sweetbreads when Jacob and Lucas came bursting in saying something which I could not hear. I could tell by the look on their faces that something unusal and exciting was happening.
I had been deaf from birth. People said it was because my father had not obeyed the call of God on his life to become a Rabbi - but my father always said that he had never been clever enough to be a Rabbi and had not been called to be a follower when he was younger. People could think what they wanted to about our family. We were close and despite the fact that I could not hear I had a really happy childhood. My parents and my younger brother worked out a system of signs and gestures which we used at home so that I could make myself understood. And by and large I managed OK. Of course I was never going to be able to find a wife or get anything other than the most basic of jobs. But whilst my parents still lived I was happy enough to tend the animals, do the household chores and help my father whenever he needed something delivered somewhere. What would happen once my parents died I didnt like to dwell on. I would probably end up begging on the streets.
Anyway, the day of my nieces birthday the lads came bursting in and grabbed hold of me. I had no idea what they were doing. They were talking to my parents who were looking surprised and at the same time bundling me out of the house and into the street. I resisted their pushing and pulling and stopped to look at them straight in the face. Sometimes if people speak slowly and clearly I can work out what they are saying by watching their lips move. I signed to my friends to ask them what on earth they were doing. They told me a teacher was in town and said I had to go to him. I asked why and they said something about him making deaf people hear. I wasnt sure that I had picked that up right, but they were hustling me down the street again and I didnt have much chance to ask more.
Within a few minutes we were in the market square where there was a large crowd gathered around a man who was sitting perched on the edge of the well. It looked as though they were all listening to him speak. I had never seen him before but he looked as though he could tell a good story. People were watching him intently and every now and again he would say something that made them laugh. Then he stood up and pointed to someone in the crowd. That person stood and spoke to the man who then lifted his hands up and said something. The person standing started to laugh - I could see his shoulders shaking and people around him laughing too. Then he jumped up and down and clapped his hands and everyone else clapped too. I had no idea what was going on. I gestured to my friends to explain but they werent watching me they were grinning at what had just happened and talking to each other excitedly.
I grabbed Jacob's sleeve and tried to get his attention. Then he shoved me forward and I found myself standing with my two friends right in front of the young teacher. My friends said something to him - I couldnt see what it was they were saying. He looked at me kindly and took me by the arm. He walked with me over to a tall tree which stood on the edge of the market square and then turned and looked at me straight in the face. The next thing I knew I felt his fingers sticking in my ears !! I jumped back in surprise - that was not what I had expected. But as he held his fingers there for a split second I felt something move in my head. It was as though I could feel bones moving or something growing inside my ears. It was a most peculiar feeling. Then I felt warmth flowing into my jaw and down my neck and the next thing I knew he was taking his fingers out of my ears and the most mighty roar of sound overwhelmed me. I was aware of sound invading my head and I looked round in panic for my friends. I felt dizzy. I didnt know what was happening to me.
The young man still had his hands on either side of my face and he looked at me with great kindness and spoke very gently and said ' Hello friend. Receive your hearing and the forgiveness of your sins'
I heard him and understood him instantly. I wanted to tell him and my mates that I could hear, but of course I had no speech having never been able to hear my own voice. I heard a noise which I didnt understand and realised it was my own voice trying to make sounds but failing. My friends then explained to the Rabbi that I couldnt speak either , and I could hear them saying it!!! So then, and this still freaks me out completely, this guy spits into his hand, wipes some spit onto his finger and puts it in my mouth. Gross. I was so taken aback at this massive invasion of my personal space and complete transgression of every rule of social and religious etiquette that I just stood there whilst he took in a deep breath and then sort of breathed it out over me saying ' Be opened! '
And then I felt something rising up my throat and it came out of my mouth in a great rush of praise to God and I was singing! I dont know what I was singing but I could hear my own voice and I could hear music and I could hear my friends on either side of me yelling and shouting and cheering. I was completely overwhelmed by the onslaught of all these new sensations. I felt lightheaded and didnt know what to do with myself. Then the young Rabbi took hold of my face again and very quietly said ' Go home and enjoy everything you can hear. But please keep this quiet. If too many people get to know about it my work will become very difficult. Learn to listen and to speak kindly and wisely. God bless you' And he walked back to the well to continue teaching the people.
I had been deaf from birth. People said it was because my father had not obeyed the call of God on his life to become a Rabbi - but my father always said that he had never been clever enough to be a Rabbi and had not been called to be a follower when he was younger. People could think what they wanted to about our family. We were close and despite the fact that I could not hear I had a really happy childhood. My parents and my younger brother worked out a system of signs and gestures which we used at home so that I could make myself understood. And by and large I managed OK. Of course I was never going to be able to find a wife or get anything other than the most basic of jobs. But whilst my parents still lived I was happy enough to tend the animals, do the household chores and help my father whenever he needed something delivered somewhere. What would happen once my parents died I didnt like to dwell on. I would probably end up begging on the streets.
Anyway, the day of my nieces birthday the lads came bursting in and grabbed hold of me. I had no idea what they were doing. They were talking to my parents who were looking surprised and at the same time bundling me out of the house and into the street. I resisted their pushing and pulling and stopped to look at them straight in the face. Sometimes if people speak slowly and clearly I can work out what they are saying by watching their lips move. I signed to my friends to ask them what on earth they were doing. They told me a teacher was in town and said I had to go to him. I asked why and they said something about him making deaf people hear. I wasnt sure that I had picked that up right, but they were hustling me down the street again and I didnt have much chance to ask more.
Within a few minutes we were in the market square where there was a large crowd gathered around a man who was sitting perched on the edge of the well. It looked as though they were all listening to him speak. I had never seen him before but he looked as though he could tell a good story. People were watching him intently and every now and again he would say something that made them laugh. Then he stood up and pointed to someone in the crowd. That person stood and spoke to the man who then lifted his hands up and said something. The person standing started to laugh - I could see his shoulders shaking and people around him laughing too. Then he jumped up and down and clapped his hands and everyone else clapped too. I had no idea what was going on. I gestured to my friends to explain but they werent watching me they were grinning at what had just happened and talking to each other excitedly.
I grabbed Jacob's sleeve and tried to get his attention. Then he shoved me forward and I found myself standing with my two friends right in front of the young teacher. My friends said something to him - I couldnt see what it was they were saying. He looked at me kindly and took me by the arm. He walked with me over to a tall tree which stood on the edge of the market square and then turned and looked at me straight in the face. The next thing I knew I felt his fingers sticking in my ears !! I jumped back in surprise - that was not what I had expected. But as he held his fingers there for a split second I felt something move in my head. It was as though I could feel bones moving or something growing inside my ears. It was a most peculiar feeling. Then I felt warmth flowing into my jaw and down my neck and the next thing I knew he was taking his fingers out of my ears and the most mighty roar of sound overwhelmed me. I was aware of sound invading my head and I looked round in panic for my friends. I felt dizzy. I didnt know what was happening to me.
The young man still had his hands on either side of my face and he looked at me with great kindness and spoke very gently and said ' Hello friend. Receive your hearing and the forgiveness of your sins'
I heard him and understood him instantly. I wanted to tell him and my mates that I could hear, but of course I had no speech having never been able to hear my own voice. I heard a noise which I didnt understand and realised it was my own voice trying to make sounds but failing. My friends then explained to the Rabbi that I couldnt speak either , and I could hear them saying it!!! So then, and this still freaks me out completely, this guy spits into his hand, wipes some spit onto his finger and puts it in my mouth. Gross. I was so taken aback at this massive invasion of my personal space and complete transgression of every rule of social and religious etiquette that I just stood there whilst he took in a deep breath and then sort of breathed it out over me saying ' Be opened! '
And then I felt something rising up my throat and it came out of my mouth in a great rush of praise to God and I was singing! I dont know what I was singing but I could hear my own voice and I could hear music and I could hear my friends on either side of me yelling and shouting and cheering. I was completely overwhelmed by the onslaught of all these new sensations. I felt lightheaded and didnt know what to do with myself. Then the young Rabbi took hold of my face again and very quietly said ' Go home and enjoy everything you can hear. But please keep this quiet. If too many people get to know about it my work will become very difficult. Learn to listen and to speak kindly and wisely. God bless you' And he walked back to the well to continue teaching the people.
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