14th Week in OT 2020 - Tuesday - Casting-out spirit of muteness

There are about twenty miracles in Matthew’s Gospel, most of them are healing miracles, though Matthew, like the other evangelists records miracles such as the feeding of the five thousand, the calming of the storm, and walking on water.

Of the healing miracles, there is subset of healings which are coupled with exorcisms—the casting out of demons which was either the cause of the physical malady or at least connected to the debilitation.  In today’s Gospel, a demon possessed man who could not speak was brought to Jesus, and when the demon was cast out the man was then able to speak.

Whenever we are attached to evil, or evil is attached to us, we are always less than we should be. Evil debilitates us. It keeps us from seeing as we should, hearing as we should, speaking as we should, walking as we should. It keeps us from understanding as we should, listening as we should, proclaiming good news as we should, and building the kingdom as we should.

These miracle stories are meant to teach us how the Lord wishes to restore what was corrupted through sin and put it into service of the Gospel.

The healing of muteness is particularly important. We are made in the image of God who speaks creation into existence, the second person of the Trinity is the Word who becomes flesh to save us. And attachments to evil and fear which keep us from speaking rightly mars the image of God in us.
But by healing muteness, casting out the evil which keeps us from proclaiming truth, speaking righteously, we are restored to be the people we were made to be. Through grace, we are freed from the evil attachments which keep us from developing well-trained tongues.

All of us are tongue-tied in some way. Perhaps we refrain from speaking truth to a loved one who is making all the wrong choices because we fear being rejected by them. Or maybe we hesitate sharing our faith with non-believers because we fear being judged by them in some way.  Yes, speaking truth will always have some consequence, some possibility of condemnation. But we were not made to be afraid of speaking truth, or so attached to evil habits that we never learn our faith enough to share it.

Rather, the journey of faith must involve allowing the Lord to loosen our tongues for the spread of the Gospel. So we do well to identify any spiritually unhealthy or unhelpful habits which keep us from learning our faith, or any fears that we have not handed over to the Lord which keep us from speaking what is true, good, and effective for the building up of the kingdom for the Glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Holy Spirit may guide the selection of a new bishop for the diocese of Cleveland, that he may be a man of courage, competency, and conviction for the Gospel.

That all of our young people on summer vacation may be kept safe from the poisonous errors and vices of our time and be kept in close friendship with the Lord Jesus through the faith of their families, daily prayer, attendance at Mass, and the practice of the virtues.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, for victims of abuse, especially children, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord