Dear friends in Christ Jesus,

Today, the first reading is taken from the book of Prophet Isaiah.  He tells the timid people, those who are uneasy about the Word of God, whose hearts live in fear “Be strong!  Fear not!”  Most of us who have faith are at least a bit nervous about proclaiming that faith, especially when the world is so against faith in Christ.  Yet the Prophet Isaiah would tell us to have no fear, just proclaim God and God’s works.  Everything will change if we begin to proclaim the Word of God from the bottom of our hearts.  Our mute lips will speak, our tongues can speak aloud God’s glory.  We will be able to see the glory of the Lord.  The eyes of the blind will be opened.  All of these great works are a sign that God is present with us.

The second reading comes from the Letter of James.  “God chose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him.”  Again, we have this testimony that God will work if we just walk with Him.  God does not choose the powerful and those who have the means to pay their way.  Instead, God chooses the weak, the poor, those without capacity and through them God proclaims the Kingdom of His love.  We often doubt this reality but once we begin to see everything through faith, we begin to recognise that power counts for nothing unless it is the power of love. 

The Gospel is taken from St Mark and is about Jesus curing the man who had a speech impediment and who could not hear. This echoes clearly the passage from the Prophet Isaiah.  And, of course, once Jesus heals this man, everyone wants to talk about it.  What about us?  Do we help others speak?  Do we help others hear?  Do we direct others to God?  The early followers of Jesus recognised that Jesus was fulfilling the prophecies.  Do we recognise that?  Jesus does not go about saying: “I am God, listen to me.”  Rather, Jesus goes about doing the works that announce that He is God.