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In today’s Gospel we have a description of a healing, specifically the healing of a deaf and mute man. Jesus orders the man not to tell anyone but Jesus orders falls on deaf ears, if you don’t mind the irony and the miracle is proclaimed anyway. Jesus must have known that the miracle would be proclaimed, and the people could not keep this a secret. Jesus probably couldn’t help himself. He is a healer. Not only would this man regain his hearing and ability to speak he could become an active member of his community. He would have opportunities that had been previously denied him. He would be taken more seriously by his community because he would have more access to knowledge, and he would be able to share his ideas with greater ease. Jesus not only healed him he restored him.
Jesus taking the man away from the crowd. He doesn’t say anything to the man. It makes sense as the man is deaf. Mark describes several actions, he put his fingers in the man’s ears, he touches the man’s tongue, he looks up to heaven. It has been pointed out that Jesus was communicating with the man in the only way possible, through sign language. Jesus wants him to understand as much as possible in a way that the man could. It is the same for us when we are blind or deaf to God's Call.

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Today’s Gospel reading is from a group of teachings where Mark describes Jesus challenging the Scribes and Pharisees about the practice of their faith. The Scribes and Pharisees were not doing anything wrong. They were literally following the law and the traditions of their ancestors. The point that Jesus is making with them is that they are focusing on little details and missing the more important reality.

I would like to introduce you to Lawrence Kohlberg. Kohlberg's work created a new field within psychology, and his theories became highly influential in the study of moral development. His research also provided the foundation for research on spiritual development.

Another influential researcher is James Fowler who wrote the Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning was first published 1981. The book was later revised in 1995. Fowler, a theologian, and developmental psychologist, proposes that faith is a universal process of meaning-making that evolves through distinct stages over a person's lifetime.

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This Gospel is likely one of the most difficult to understand. Understandably, his first listeners are struggling to comprehend this teaching especially because they were taking Jesus literally. Jesus develops the lesson inviting his listeners to think on the level of Spirit.

We have an account of a significant loss of disciples here. Many of the disciples found the teaching to be too much to understand and so they not only leave but John describes them as going back and returning to their former way of life. I guess you cannot blame them for leaving. Jesus was challenging them to think outside the box.

What does this mean? They weren’t doing anything wrong; they were giving up an opportunity to grow spiritually with Jesus himself. Could they come back?