A miracle unfolds

I have recently found myself almost forced to reflect on one of Jesus' miracles, as it is described in Mark 7:31-37. I admit that I prefer to reflect on parables.
I am interested in healing, but miraculous cures? I suppose that I have always accepted that the miracles of Jesus are beyond explanation and my understanding and left it at that. According to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, the Bible is not 'an inspired supernatural guide for individual conduct or a piece of detached historical record'. In a lecture of his that I have read recently he goes on to say that the context of the Bible is to call together and incorporate a Christian community. So I feel precarious in reflecting here as I do.

The miracle is performed during the first or Galilean part of Jesus' ministry, when the vast majority of His miracles were documented and we are led to believe were actually performed. The afflicted man was brought to Jesus by friends or relatives as so often happened. Jesus then took the man away from the crowd to somewhere private and some disciples were with him. The afflicted man was a deaf man, hardly able to speak. Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears then spat or put saliva on his fingers and touched the man's tongue. He looked to heaven and groaned or sighed. He then spoke the word 'Ephphatha' interpreted as 'be opened'. Mark then declares that he was able to speak plainly implying that he was cured. Jesus then urged the man and the disciples with him not to tell everyone what had happened.

There are three things about this story which particularly fascinate me at present..Firstly that Jesus uses his saliva, secondly that he takes trouble to keep the miracle a secret and thirdly that he 'looks at heaven' before the cure is commanded.

I have read somewhere that the act of using saliva was to moisten the mouth of a man whose mouth was dry due to the heat of the day and through dissent of attempts to speak. However, just before He uses saliva, He puts His fingers into the man's ears. Now I put my fingers in my ears when I don't want to hear. So fascinated though I am by this process, I have to accept that Jesus did not offer olive oil at the last supper to represent his saliva. Although oil is used to anoint. I also understand that to use touch to reach out to someone who could neither hear nor speak was a sensitive act of engagement in itself. Then of course he cured him completely as well.

The attempt to keep this miraculous act a secret was I suppose not to appear as a travelling magician and distract from The Good News. However, the story of what happens appears in Mark's gospel. Is it then ok to know of it now? In fact numerous have had the opportunity to read or hear about what happened and many other miracles that Jesus asked to be kept secret. I can only assume that it is allowed to be meaningful now to us, with our very lucky hindsight.

The most significant aspect of the story which I am challenged by is when Jesus 'looks to heaven' before giving the curative command. This can be interpreted as looking up at the sky, but I believe that for Jesus to look at heaven whilst on earth is so much more. My limited explanation is that he 'saw' God and the angels in their place with His inner eye and shut the ungodly worldy part out. Much in the same way that we ourselves SEE or HEAR the truth of the Good News (if we do!) Perhaps this then would clarify the act of putting fingers in ears. It could have been representative of shutting out the world, to facilitate a channel for God to reach him.

I am sorry if my thoughts sound like meaningless pontification. I do not expect to be performing a curative miracle on anybody, even though I feel it may be an ultimate goal of faith. In my limited way I hope that I may too approach the afflicted with the same consideration and certainty to help them. How blessed I feel also to be born of this time in a world where I may access and read the Bible when so many cannot read or observe or have observed the oral tradition, sometimes in a foreign language. How blessed I am to have the internet to assist my reflection and share it. And may I also be able to 'look at heaven' when I am called to do work for God. (Amen)