Once there was this catechist who was
teaching a group of young children on the importance of keeping quiet at Sunday
Mass. The next day, the archbishop made a surprise visit and sat at the end of
her class. The catechist wanted to make
an impression and show off what the children have learned. So she asks the smartest kid in class: Why is
it important to keep quiet when the archbishop is celebrating Holy Mass?” The
student replies: “Duh… because people are sleeping, so we don’t wake them up?”
So
is it really better that one cannot see, cannot hear and cannot speak? Today we
hear a prophecy from Isaiah: “Be strong.
Do not fear. Here is your God. He will
come and save you… the eyes of the blind shall be opened; the ears of the deaf
unstopped; and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.” (Is. 35:6)
Today
in the gospel we hear of the fulfilment of that prophecy. We read of the story
of the deafmute who was brought to Jesus. And he begged Jesus to lay his hand
on him. Jesus takes him aside in private, away from the crowd. Jesus then
speaks to him: “Ephphatha: Be opened.”
And the man was healed. And the crowd was astounded beyond measure and began to
proclaim the news to others. (Mk.7:31-31)
The
people of Decapolis saw this poor deafmute, they heard of Jesus and brought the
man to him, and later they spoke of the goodness of Jesus. They took heed of
James warning from the second reading: “For
if a rich man in fine clothes comes into your assembly and if a poor man in
dirty clothes also comes in, whom should you notice?” (James 2:2) The people of Decapolis saw rightly the
poor, they heard rightly Jesus, they spoke rightly of his goodness.
And
as for us, many times we tend to look the other way when we see faults or
injustice, or those being abused or suffering in life. We do not want to hear
about them. And many times we maintain a code of silence amidst evil.
We
seem to be like those three monkeys- not wishing to see, not liking to hear, not
wanting to speak. "See no evil, literally in Japanese: Mizaru." "Hear no evil, Kikazaru." "Speak no
evil, Iwazaru." Concidentally, the
Japanese word for monkey is saru. So the literal translation became the names
of the monkeys – Mizaru, Kikazaru, Ikawazaru. In these present times, this
ancient Japanese saying is applied: to
those who wilfully ignore an unwelcome truth; to those who look the other way
when they encounter evil in society; to those who refuse to listen to the
plight of the unfortunate like the refugees, to those who will not speak on
their behalf.
But
did you know that the three wise monkeys originally did not represent
indifference. Instead they represented virtue. One will find the carving of
these three wise monkeys in Japan in a 17th century temple – the
Nikko Toshogu. Many anthropologists and scholars believe the monkeys were
carved as a visual representation of the religious principle, “If
we do not see (e.g. porn), hear (e.g. gossip), or speak (e.g. curses, F and S words) evil, we ourselves shall be
spared of all evil." Beautiful isn’t it! In fact, Mahatma Gandhi, who
was noted for his non-possession made one notable exception to his lifestyle.
He kept a small statue of the three wise monkeys. See no evil, see only the good,
hear no evil, hear only what is good, speak no evil, speak only of goodness.
This
deafmute of today was perhaps picked upon by many of those around him. Teased
and bullied, made fun of. And all he could see, was evil. Perhaps he was
already in a happier place since he could not hear evil, nor speak of it. But then
he was taken aside by Jesus, and he came face to face with Goodness himself
seeing its reality. Then Jesus healed him. He was able to hear Goodness… those
kind words Ephphata: Be opened. And later after this episode, he could not
contain himself and sought only to speak of the goodness that has been done to
him.
See
goodness, hear goodness, speak only goodness. See no evil, hear no evil, speak
no evil.
"O’er the door of the sacred Temple
They sit in their wisdom the three
The little deaf Monkey,
The little dumb Monkey,
The Monkey who will not see;
With their eyes shut to evil,
Ears that hear only the right,
Lips that are dumb to scandal
They sit in their silent might."
References:
Cassaro, R. (2012). The Secret Occult Meaning of the “Three Wise
Monkeys.” Richard Cassaro.com. http://www.richardcassaro.com/the-secret-occult-meaning-of-the-three-wise-monkeys-hidden-by-the-elite-2
Leach, B. (2012). “The leaflet – judge for yourself.” The Telegraph.
Meril, C. (2011).” The Speak No Evil, See No Evil, Hear No Evil”