Wearing a red t-shirt and blue shorts the tiny child lay motionless on a Turkish beach. The three year old boy was one of twelve who drowned after their boat sank last week. These people were fleeing the horror of war in Syria where violence, persecution and bloodshed continue to drive millions of people out of their homeland in search of security and a future. Sadly, it took the death of a little child, it took a disturbing photo of a fragile tiny corpse washed up on the shore of the Aegean Sea, to shock the world into realizing this massive displacement of people is really serious. And those who are on the run are still constantly referred to as unlawful, illegal quejumpers. They are portrayed as troublesome, disruptive, anonymous statistics. Many have a boat ID number rather than a name. Well, this little boy, whose body was washed up on that Turkish beach, did have a name. His name was Aylan Kurdi. He came with his family from a Kurdishdominated region in northern Syria. They were all trying to get to Canada where the rest of their family have settled. For all of us Aylan is still pretty much a statistic. For the world out there can be a frightening, disturbing place. Since time immemorial people have dealt with this kind of fear or threat by identifying with those we know and trust and isolating or protecting ourselves from those we don t know and therefore do not trust.
(2) It s interesting that the Arabic word for foreigner literally means people to avoid while the Pacific Island word palangi literally refers to a person who has come out of the sky. In other words, foreigners, or specifically Europeans, are seen to come from out of this world. In some Papua New Guinea communities Europeans are referred to as dim-dims or literally, as people not like us. And in the tradition of Christianity and Islam those on the outside, those who do not share the same faith, are called infidels. But, as the tragic story of little Aylan tells us, we all have names. We are not, in the scheme of things, simply people to avoid. We are not just palangi, dimdims or infidels. We are, rather, all human. And, if you read the scriptures carefully, you will see that we all bear the image of God in our humanness and in our personhood. And that means we are ALL valued by God. We ALL matter to God! The great clinical neurologist, Oliver sacks (who died just recently), is well known for his compassionate, humane approach to the care of his patients. In an autobiographical work called Awakenings (that also became a well-known film), Sacks takes us into a frightening world where people are trapped inside bodies that have turned to stone. They are deprived of all movement and energy because they suffer from what is called post-encephalitis syndrome. Patients literally become living statues. In the course of his practice, Sacks administered a new drug associated with the treatment of Parkinson s. This drug had amazing results as some patients were, incredibly, awakened as their rigidity vanished and they are able to move, talk and feel. It was a real liberation as people began to function once again. But sadly the impact did not last long as side-effects set in and resistance to the drug developed. Yet for Sacks there was much to be learnt here. For, inside those comatosed bodies there were real people. Within those rigid, lifeless bodies there were people with personalities and identities. Indeed, those who could have easily been written off as inarticulate non-persons or as individuals of little or consequence were found to be just as significant, just as special as you or me!
(3) For you see, in the eyes of God, everyone matters. Those desperate people sailing the Aegean Sea are just as important, they are just a significant, they are just as special as you and me. Meanwhile, those people trapped in bodies frozen in time, those people rendered silent or inarticulate through no fault of their own are similarly just as treasured! Today we encounter Jesus on the move as he travels with his disciples through the region of the Decapolis. This is an area to the east of the Sea of Galilee in what is now Jordan. It s a Gentile or non-jewish area and in Jesus time it would have been a pretty alien place as it was highly influenced by Greek culture and Roman religion. A man is brought to Jesus who cannot hear while he carries an impediment to his speech. The crowd begs Jesus to heal him. Now this deaf, mute person represents so many whose lives are imprisoned by circumstances beyond their control. To be deaf means the man is cut-off from his community. To be mute means he cannot communicate or express himself with those around him. This man is, therefore, condemned to a life of isolation. He is effectively cut-off, exiled and silenced within his own community. Jesus takes him aside and puts his fingers into his ears. He then touches the man s tongue with some of his spittle. Looking up to heaven, Jesus sighs and says to the deaf, mute man: Ephphatha, that is. Be opened. And immediately the man s ears are opened and his tongue is released. The deaf, mute man is restored to health as he now speaks plainly.
(4) Friends, in this we witness an awakening. Here we encounter a marginalized non-person experience healing and restoration. With the command Ephphatha this man s personhood, this man s identity, this man s wellbeing is made whole! Ephphatha is an Aramaic expression. Jesus spoke Aramaic and its pretty certain Mark is recording the actual words of Jesus here. Think about it for a moment - Ephphatha - this is the actual word Jesus spoke to restore the deaf, mute man to health! While Jesus and his disciples spoke Aramaic, the New Testament was written in Greek (the language of education and commerce of the day). And the expression be opened is recorded in a number of places in the Greek form. We encounter it as Luke narrates the walk to Emmaus where Jesus followers encounter the risen Christ. Here, when Jesus breaks bread, their eyes are opened. The expression be opened is also used in the sixteenth chapter of Acts as Lydia, the first Christian convert in Europe, has her heart opened to listen to the apostle Paul. Here the thrust of the meaning is to lay open, to reveal, to connect and to explain. Some people claim there is no greater or more accurate term to embody the ministry of Jesus than the expression Ephphatha. For, to be opened means to be freed, to be liberated, to be what we are created to be. In the deaf, mute man s case, the man is freed to hear, to speak and to, therefore, participate fully within his local community. To be opened in other cases means people are able to see the truth that there is before them and they commence to understand the reality in which they live. To be opened is, in other words, a totally liberating experience where we are able to break through our lack of understanding, where we are able to reach beyond our fears and our prejudices, and where we are given the ability to embody and articulate the truth of the Gospel no matter what the consequences are.
(5) It s interesting to note that the ancient church focused on this healing story, as Jesus touches the deaf man s ears and spits on the mute man s tongue, by incorporating it into the rite of baptism. For baptism is all about being liberated from the world of darkness and seeing the light of Christ. Baptism is all about rejecting those things that drag us down and alienate us from God to become joyful, courageous followers of Jesus. So today, in the Uniting Church Rite of Baptism, the minister touches each candidate s ear and mouth with the words May the Lord open your ears to receive his word, and your mouth to proclaim his praise. Ephphatha - be opened! Perhaps no other expression sums up the ministry of Jesus so vigorously. Ephphatha - be opened is such a powerful command. It calls on each one of us to open our lives to the truth of what Jesus represents and to what Jesus embodies. And in doing so we are to recognize there are things in our lives that close us down, there are matters in our living that cause us to shut our eyes and force us to stop listening. And this is not just about responding to the needs of the horrific displacement of people around the world today. The call to listen and the call to speak is also grounded in the places where we live. This call is earthed in the way we relate to our families, friends and colleagues. It is rooted in the obligation to offer a space to others, to take seriously those who are forgotten, overlooked or dismissed in our homes, our work places, our community and our church. Indeed, it is a call that obliges us to open our ears to the voice of God and to articulate God s word of salvation and hope to the world. To be opened means we are set free from the experiences of fear and suspicion. To be opened means we are set free from an excessive preoccupation with being busy and an urgent need to protect and preserve what s mine. To be opened is to encounter and experience the fullness of life that is ours in Jesus Christ.
(6) And to be opened is to hear God s word with clarity and to proclaim the good news of the Gospel with courage and conviction. Friends, today may our ears be opened to receive God s Word. May our mouths be free to proclaim God s praise. For this is good news - Ephphatha - Be opened! Amen. John Barr