Be Opened I have often been told, “you are missing the forest for the trees,” meaning I have a tendency to zero in on the details and miss the depth and breath of the whole picture. In the miracles of Jesus, God’s love and concern for us become dramatically evident and present, but these miracles are not ends in themselves-they are not the “trees.” They are meant to reveal the deeper reality of God’s saving actions on our behalf. In our Gospel today, Jesus touches the tongue of the deaf man before he commands, “Be opened!” The touch and the command unleash events – the deaf man hears and the people proclaim what has taken place. We can surmise that something deep and profound happened between the man and Jesus even before the miracle happened. In fact, something deep and profound had to happen in order for the miracle to occur. And the encounter with Jesus changed him. The deaf man was able to see “beyond the trees,” beyond the miracle to the wholeness Jesus brought him. For us, discipleship- proclaiming what we have seen- invites us to seek deeper insights into the ministry of Jesus. Jesus is with us, challenging us to deeper insights into God’s presence and saving deeds. When has an astonishing experience led you to reflect on God’s nearness, God’s saving power?