Ephphatha: Be Opened to God | Spiritual Deafness, Sin & the Grace to Hear Christ

About this sermon

“Ephphatha” — Be opened. In the Gospel for the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, Our Lord heals a man who was deaf and unable to speak properly. But this physical miracle points to a deeper spiritual reality: the condition of a soul that has become closed to God. What closes the soul? Sin destroys charity and separates us from sanctifying grace. Even more dangerous is losing the desire to rise again after we fall. Christ continues to knock. He speaks through Sacred Scripture, the teaching of the Church, the sacred liturgy, conscience, and inspirations of grace. Yet repeated sin can harden the heart and darken the intellect until evil begins to appear good and virtue seems unreasonable. Attachment to money can make generosity seem foolish. Impurity can make chastity seem impossible. Pride can make obedience seem humiliating. Human respect can make public profession of the Faith seem embarrassing. The remedy is docility to God. Our Lady gives us the perfect example: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto me according to thy word.” God speaks. Mary hears. She believes. She submits. She obeys. At Mass, let this become our prayer: Lord, open what I have closed. Open my intellect to truth. Open my will to Your commandments. Open my conscience to repentance. Open my heart to grace. Open my lips to confess Your name. 🙏 Ephphatha — be opened. 00:00 Opening Prayer 00:31 One Word Can Summarize a Sunday 01:06 Ephphatha — “Be Opened” 01:16 Christ Heals the Deaf Man 01:37 The Deeper Spiritual Meaning 01:54 What Closes the Soul to God? 02:11 Mortal Sin and the Loss of Charity 02:35 Sanctifying Grace and God’s Presence 02:49 Something Worse Than Falling Into Sin 03:00 The Danger of Refusing to Rise Again 03:14 God Is Always the First to Act 03:29 “I Stand at the Door and Knock” 03:45 God Does Not Force the Door Open 03:52 How Sin Hardens the Heart 04:13 The Ways God Continues to Speak 04:39 Sin and Spiritual Blindness 04:46 How Judgment Becomes Distorted 05:02 The Devil’s Tactic: Making Sin Look Good 05:26 Money vs. Generosity 05:35 Impurity vs. Chastity 05:42 Pride vs. Obedience 05:48 Human Respect vs. Confessing the Faith 05:57 The Remedy for Spiritual Deafness 06:05 Preparing for the Assumption 06:21 Our Lady as the Model of Docility 06:49 “Behold the Handmaid of the Lord” 07:04 God Speaks — Mary Hears and Obeys 07:17 Christ Opens the Soul to Grace 07:36 Ephphatha at the Holy Altar 07:51 “Lord, Open What I Have Closed” 07:59 Open My Intellect, Will and Conscience 08:10 Open My Heart and Lips 08:23 Closing Prayer 08:38 The Martyr’s Walk 08:54 Sensus Fidelium App For more on the ICKSP parishes in Ireland, & to donate to them, please click here https://institute-christ-king.ie/ & remember to say 3 Hail Marys for the priest 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 ✝️ SUPPORT THE MISSION 🙏 Donate https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 📬 Free Catholic Newsletter https://sensusfidelium.com/newsletter/ 📰 Read on Substack https://sensusfidelium.substack.com/ ──────────────────── 📺 WATCH & READ 📺 Sensus Fidelium App https://sensusfidelium.tv/ 📚 Sensus Fidelium Press https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ 👕 Official Merchandise https://sensusfidelium.com/merchandise/ ──────────────────── 🤝 PARTNER WITH US 📣 Advertise on Sensus Fidelium https://sensusfidelium.com/advertise-with-sensus-fidelium/ 🎤 Invite Steve Cunningham to Speak https://sensusfidelium.com/speaking/ ⛪ Parish Formation & Consultation https://sensusfidelium.com/for-parishes/ ──────────────────── 🌎 CATHOLIC COMMUNITY ✝️ Trusted Catholic Businesses https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 #Ephphatha #BeOpened #CatholicHomily #SpiritualDeafness #SpiritualBlindness #CatholicFaith #JesusChrist #CatholicChurch #Sin #MortalSin #SanctifyingGrace #Grace #Repentance #OurLady #BlessedVirginMary #Fiat #CatholicSpirituality #EleventhSundayAfterPentecost #TraditionalCatholic #SensusFidelium

Topics

• Grace
• Repentance
• Jesus Christ