23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
“Be strong, fear not!” Division, hostility, oppression and injustices are not what God desires for us. Yet we must live in accordance with how God views the world. When the Israelites turned away from the law of God, destruction followed. However, God restores what is broken. God returns exiles to the Promised Land, gives sight to the blind and makes the deaf hear and the mute speak. Jesus is the pinnacle of this fulfillment.
Jesus fulfills God’s promises. While Jesus performs great miracles (makes the deaf hear and mute speak), there is far more happening here. His actions are signs that what was promised in Isaiah is coming to pass. This is not just about one man’s healing, but rather the restoration of the world. This restoration goes even beyond the Jewish people but includes Gentiles as well.