For ages together man was caught up amidst both individual and sociological problems. The world around them is day by day, becoming deaf and mute towards the existing problems and for the truth and justice.
Day by day man is becoming deaf and mute towards the individual, family, and social values and morals. Man is unable to come out of these things, because he shelves himself with selfishness, greed, power politics, egoism etc.
Amidst these circumstances common man ends up himself with frustration, disappointment and distress for none is there to neither listen nor concern of his life situation. It is in this situation of man, the promise of God in the first Reading leaves us with a ray of hope that God himself is our savior.
When God becomes Savior there will be two prime effects.

1. Two fold infirmities i.e. deafness and dumbness are cured or removed.

Apart from the external infirmities, the internal infirmities of mind and heart are in three levels:

Psychological level: we don’t understand other’s views, problems, life situations etc. and we are not ready to listen to whatever they want to say but cling to our own attitudes and preoccupied thoughts. An old man is talking to the family doctor. "Doctor, I think my wife's going deaf." The doctor answers, "Well, here's something you can try on her to test her hearing. Stand some distance away from her without facing her and ask her a question. If she doesn't answer, move a little closer and ask again. Keep repeating this until she answers. Then you'll be able to tell just how hard of hearing she really is." The man goes home and tries it out. He walks in the door and asks, "Honey, what's for dinner?" He doesn't hear an answer, so he moves closer to her. "Honey, what's for dinner?" Still he gets no answer. He repeats this several times, until he's standing just one foot away from her. Finally, she answers, "For the eleventh time, I said we're having meat loaf!"

2. Spiritual level: we don’t welcome and don’t respond to any type of spiritual activities like Rosary services, Eucharistic Adorations and other popular devotions. On the other hand, even when we participate we don’t reflect its effect in our lives.
3. Sociological level: we make ourselves an island being deaf and mute to others’ concerns, needs etc.

Here it is fitting to be noted that very often parents are mute to the children and children are deaf to the parents for several reasons.
When man is healed of the above infirmities then there will be:

2. A Drastic change in the Nature as narrated in the first reading:

Springs in the desert;
Rivers in the land of death;
Lakes in the dry land
In other words the land that has no life will have life. That is to say: When the inner infirmities are healed, the life of man is filled with new life, new Spirit and new inspirations thereby life becomes beautiful.
This has been realized in the first phase through the King of Persia, when he allowed people of Israel to go back to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple of the Lord.
It has come to its completion in the second phase through Jesus Christ by his teachings, miracles and institutions of the Sacraments.
When we observe the process of healing in today’s Gospel we see:

1. Separation: As did with blind man we are separated from the from the existing situation world and brought to the Holy Mother Church. We are separated as the Church not as building but as the community, a Community that has care, love and concern for others.

For his own sacrifice even Jesus was lifted up from existing situation and died on the Cross.

2. Closing the ears: We need to be deaf to the world, closing our ears as and when required, it is only then we can listen to the voice of the Lord.
3. Touching the tongue with spat:

From the mouth of Jesus it came down to dust and this combination enabled man to speak. Combination of our earthly elements with divine elements of Jesus, gives us eternal life in the form of Eucharist. The combination of our human nature and Jesus’ divine nature as we receive Eucharist, we also derive the power to speak the truth and justice. It enables us to speak only what Jesus wants.
It is for this reason this sign is adopted in the Sacrament of Baptism.
The priest says: ephpheta, means be opened!
That is to open our hearts and minds to be attentive to the word of God both to listen and to proclaim.
Therefore: let us not be deaf but listen to the Word of God and not be mute but speak of the same so as to build a new community of new life; of new ideas; of new values and of new vision. And there by BECOME a NEW HOPE TO THE WORLD.