9/9/18: 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: How to Get the Spiritual Healing We Need

The Fathers of the Church always said that we interpret the Scriptures not only literally but also spiritually. So as we read of these physical miracles performed by Jesus, like today's healing of the deaf and mute man, we also have to read on the spiritual level. While the man in today's Gospel suffered from physical deafness, do we not often struggle with spiritual deafness? How many times do we say things like, "I just don't hear God's voice." "I don't know what God wants of me in this situation." And our spiritual deafness -- our inability to hear God -- results in spiritual muteness: It's hard for us to speak of God when we cannot not sense him in our life. The remedy? Jesus gives us a program for spiritual healing in today's Gospel.