You've got a friend in me

Readings for Friday February 12, 2010

First Reading: 1 Kings 11:29-32,12:19
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm
Gospel: Mark 7:31-37


Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”) And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it. They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak." (Mk 7:31-37)

One of my favorite animated movie series is Disney and Pixar's Toy Story (and yes I am very excited about the third one coming out soon). In these movies we see a lot of camaraderie, and a great friendship that takes place among these toys. Even though you have a lot of different personalities and differences, they still have a friendship that keeps them together and makes them risk many things for each other. in fact the main theme song of the movies is called "You've got a friend in me." I think that this is a great song about friendship, about how no matter what friends are supposed to stick together.

When we read in today's gospel about the healing of the deaf man, we see that he certainly has some very good friends. Now, obviously the deaf man had not been able to hear about Jesus or what He has been doing, and so he was probably clueless about who Jesus was. But, thankfully, he had some friends who cared enough about him to bring him to the master physician. The deaf man's friends really display a great principle that we should be following to this day, and that is: good friends lead those around them to Christ. This is exactly what the people around the deaf man did, they saw how much he was suffering and how hard his life was, and they believed that he could find healing in Christ. These friends lead the deaf man to Christ, and in so doing they helped to change his life forever.

May we always remember real friends lead those around them to Christ. May God grant us the strength and courage to be real friends to all those around us.

Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Lord you are so good and merciful to us, we thank you for healing us of all that we suffer from. Lord, help us to always seek you will and to never leave your care. Thank you for loving us so much, and may we share that love with the rest of the world. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.