Then Jesus looked up in prayer, groaned mightily, and commanded, “Ephphatha! – Open up!” And it happened. The man’s hearing was clear and his speech plain – just like that. Jesus urged them to keep it quiet, but they talked it up all the more, beside themselves with excitement. “He’s done it all and done it well. He gives hearing to the deaf, speech to the speechless.”  
(Mark 7: 34 – 37) 

The story of Jesus healing of the man who could not hear or speak used to gross me out. Spitting and touching the guy’s tongue? Sticking fingers into his grimy ears? Even the groaning of Jesus, uttering “Ephphatha!” was a visceral reminder that the Incarnation isn’t all roses and rainbows.

But such details blinded me to something huge: how important it would be, in biblical times, to have one’s hearing and speech restored.

Consider:
Most people in Jesus’ day couldn’t read or write. Anything not grasped by the naked eye – ideas, human complexity of any kind, stories from the past and basic news of the day – depended upon hearing (and relaying) word-of-mouth communication. Within this oral culture, people who could not hear or speak were at such a loss, they were classified by Jewish law (and seen in Greek society) as mentally defective.

Individuals who could not hear or speak also missed out on the great tradition – passed down, orally – of trusting in God’s saving ways. Moreover, it’s a faith tradition that values hearing and speaking. As the Bible tells us, God speaks all of creation into being – and later voices the Ten Commandments. “Hear, O Israel” being the proclamation of many a prophet. Jesus talks incessantly about hearing the word of God. The psalms are peppered with repeated requests that God hear our pleas, our prayers, our songs of praise.

It’s a good reminder to really listen – and respond – the next time we’re at Mass and hear the word of God proclaimed.