On the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity, the Gospel from St. Mark 7:31-37 raises several points about Jesus and about the Christian mission. Every New Testament miracle is a general proclamation of the heavenly kingdom of God at work in the world. In addition, three key points struck me about the healing of the deaf mute.
Those three points are: 1) The location of this miracle is in the Decapolis, a mixed Jewish and Hellenistic area, and this points to the universal goals of Christ’s redeeming work for all peoples; 2) The miracle proclaims Jesus as God’s anointed Savior who fulfills Messianic prophecies; and 3) Christ shows mercy and grace to the afflicted, and He calls His followers to participate in His continuing labor in the world.
