Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, September 9, 2012, the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Dcn. Greg VandeVoorde, Christ the King Catholic Church. Jesus takes the deaf-mute aside, away from the crowds, before healing him so that He can get his attention and he can focus on Him. Jesus wants a relationship with each of us, He wants to heal us, He wants us to know Him in a personal way. We need to take time to be alone with Jesus and to see Him face to face at Mass and in the Eucharist, so that He can heal us and gives us the power to go out to others and announce the Gospel of the Lord.

Key word: conversion, healing, evangelization