All three readings of today express the same idea: that God protects and cares for the outcasts, the helpless in the society. For instance, in the gospel, the deaf and dumb man was healed at the request of the crowd, just by a touched from Jesus. In so doing, Jesus, thus fulfills the hope of the prophet Isaiah for the Messianic age as recorded in the first reading :”then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf, unstopped, the lame shall leap like a deer and the tongue of the speechless, sing for joy.”

People needed Jesus’ healing touch to enable them to listen to the gospel which he was sharing with them, and to believe that Jesus’ baptism experience was meant for them too. Do not hesitate to show forth God’s charity to the needy in our society. Let us pray for each other that we, too, may recognize our complete dependence on grace and plead for God to touch our mind, hearts and bodies with healing love.