Thomas Gallaudet And Henry Winter Syle: Apostles to the Deaf

Mark 7:32-37 (NRSV)

They brought to Jesus a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, "He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."

In the Outline of the Faith also known as the Catechism beginning on page 845 of the Book of Common Prayer, on page 862 we read the question: "What is the communion of saints?"  The Answer given is: "The communion of saints is the whole family of God, the living and the dead, those whom we love and those whom we hurt, bound together in Christ by sacrament, prayer, and praise."  The communion of saints consists of all of us here in this life and the life to come.  All of us are saints in God's eyes.   Though all of us have our sins and weaknesses with which we must ask God's forgiveness and work with the Holy Spirit to overcome, God has redeemed all of us in Christ.  Every daughter and son who is created in God's image and likeness as beloved by God, and on in whom God is well-pleased.  Every one of us is uniquely wonderful.

Thomas Gallaudet and Henry Winter Syle were "Apostles to the Deaf" in the Episcopal Church.  Both of these courageous men took on a ministry to help the church include people who were unable to participate in worship and ministry, both lay and ordained.  The beauty of the work that Thomas Gallaudet and Henry Winter Syle undertook is to learn about and seek out those who might otherwise not find a place in the church and therefore possibly not get to know the God who loves them unconditionally.  Their work challenged many hearts and minds that were already set that somehow there could not be room in the church for people who are unable to hear.  Gallaudet and Syle took on the task of reminding the church that our ministry and work is not only for those who can do or do everything that perhaps they should do.  If we in the church are to better our work on behalf of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then our doors, pews and hearts must be ready to accommodate everyone.

I read an outstanding article in Metro Lutheran by Rev. Susan Masters entitled: Providing Access is Sometimes Challenging, but Always Right.  In the article Masters discusses the difficulties that people with challenges of all kinds have in finding inclusion in houses of worship.

"When the conversation about access for people with disabilities begins with expense and convenience, it starts at the wrong place." Masters wrote.

At a recent national gathering of pastoral leaders in the Evangelical Lutheran Deaf Association (ELDA), the discussion turned to the biblical story of the prodigal son. The deaf leaders among us shared their shared identification with the son who stayed home, did everything that was asked of him, and then watched incredulously as his undeserving brother walked away with both blessing and bounty.

My colleagues recounted familiar stories of deaf people being denied access to family heirlooms and inheritances, but also something more precious than possessions: communication. One man found out his sister had died — two years previously — when he stumbled upon her grave at the family cemetery. He had long been left out of his family’s communication loop, and now he was excluded again, even regarding his sister’s death.

Sadly, the church has generally perpetuated such exclusion. My own deaf sister sat through 18 years of church services, Sunday school classes, and church camps without an interpreter … and any idea about what was going on around her. Like many deaf people, when she turned 18, she bade the church farewell and never looked back. Like the older brother in the parable, she dutifully put in her church time, but clearly the Good News bounty went to those who could hear it and had access to it.

Our challenge in the church of the 21st Century is to continually seek ways of helping our leaders, Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Vestries and church families to understand that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is about including all of God's saints.  As we take on this incredible work, we will be confronted by the hardened hearts of many people, who just do not like change no matter what the reason or cause is.   The most difficult people when it comes to change, can be found among the most devout.

Once when I was working in a large Catholic parish in a northwestern suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota where we had a sign language interpreter for one of the Masses, I found myself in a rather disturbing conversation with the Adult Education and RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, a rite to receive new members into the Catholic church) coordinator.  She made the remark that the sign language interpreter was "a distraction" to other people trying to pay attention to the Liturgy.  I was so stunned by what she said, that I was speechless.   And those moments do not come often.

While worship is suppose to inspire us, worship really is not to make us all that comfortable.  The Gospel challenges us to move beyond our comfort zones to accept others who are different than ourselves and to make accommodations for those who may not otherwise be able to find their way to God.   If we understand that the communion of saints includes the living and the dead, those that we love and those that we hurt, then we must also understand that it is the business of the Christian Church to make room for all of God's saints.

We read in today's Gospel that the interest of the crowd, the inability for the deaf man to hear or speak did not stop Jesus from coming close to him so that God could touch the life of this individual.   Jesus had the compassion to reach out his hands in love and heal the deaf man.  In so doing, Jesus challenged those who had placed the deaf and mute man aside, because Jesus gave this guy the opportunity to know that God still sees him as a wonderful and holy person.

The experience of those who cannot hear, speak, walk etc is not unlike what lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, questioning and queer people have been put through.  "We cannot find room for LGBTQ people in our churches, too many conservative radio show hosts will bash us and threaten our weekly income."  Their fears are not all that unreasonable. Such has happened to many LGBTQ accepting churches in the Twin Cities, because of one anti-gay pastor who shoots off his big mouth on the radio and local cable television.  However, the Gospel action of being inclusive should always be more important than our reputation because of heartless conservative Christians who think of their own capital gains by making horrible statements.  When the churches close their doors and hearts to people they are not willing to make room for, the Gospel becomes another book of fairy tales.   The Virgin Birth?  Oh that is just a mystical story, it didn't really happen.   The crucifixion?  Oh that is just another gory story from the days of the Roman Empire, it has no real value in the 21st Century.  Do I believe these things?  No!  But, if the church is going to continue to proclaim these things and be successful, then we need to be willing to make room for everyone to experience the saving graces of God, through the compassion of really caring Christians.  A person's color, sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression, gender, religion, challenge, culture, cannot be a barrier for us to make them  know that they are welcome to worship, pray and fall in love with the God we all know and love.

A note of reference here, for those LGBTQ people who are also challenged in their hearing, please get to know our friends at the Rainbow Alliance for the Deaf.  RAD has many local chapters that hold social events for LGBTQ people who have challenges with hearing and communicating.

In the Gospel for today's Divine Office Jesus said that "Out of believer's hearts shall flow rivers of living water." (John 7:38).  The Holy Spirit came upon the Church on Pentecost so that rivers of living waters may flow from our hearts into the lives of people who need to drink the waters of compassion, unconditional love and wholeness.   The mission for the church in our time and for all who call ourselves Christians is that we will seek and uphold the dignity of every human person. The result?  Rivers of living water flow out from our hearts into others.  How are we fulfilling that mission today?

Grant, O merciful God, that your Church, being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit, may show forth your power among all peoples, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirt, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Proper 16, Book of Common Prayer, Page 232)


O Loving God, whose will it is that everyone should come to you and be saved: We bless your holy Name for your servants Thomas Gallaudet and Henry Winter Syle whose labors with and for those who are deaf we commemorate today, and we pray that you will continually move your Church to respond in love to the needs of all people; through Jesus Christ, who opened the ears of the deaf, and who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Collect for Thomas Gallaudet & Henry Winter Syle, Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, Page 543)

O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for Mission, Book of Common Prayer, Page 100).