The Twelfth Sunday After Trinity

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
So goes the opening words of the historic service of Matins.
With those words we confess that without Christ, our lips are only opened to speak angry words, only opened to speak hurtful words, only opened to speak foul words, only opened to speak foolish words. From ancient times these historic words were spoke every morning to say, "Unless you open my lips Lord, I won't be able to speak your praise."
In today's Gospel Jesus makes the mute man speak. He does it first by opening the man's ears. By opening the man's ears, the man's speech is restored. So too God opens ears and hearts so that we might hear His Word. Upon hearing and understanding His Word, our mouths are enabled again to speak and sing His praises. Man, by nature, is deaf to God, and mute to His praises. By God's grace He opens our lips, that our mouths show forth His praise.