"Eph'phatha," - Straighten Up and Fly Right!

Today's Gospel reminded me of the Nat King Cole Trio song:

A buzzard took monkey for a ride in the air
The monkey thought that everything was on the square
The buzzard tried to throw the monkey off his back
But the monkey grabbed his neck and said-- Now listen, Jack

Straighten up and fly right
Straighten up and fly right
Straighten up and fly right
Cool down, papa, don't you blow your top.
Ain't no use in divin'
What's the use in jivin'
Straighten up and fly right
Cool down, papa, don't you blow your top.

The buzzard told the monkey "You're chokin' me
Release your hold and I'll set you free
The monkey looked the buzzard right dead in the eye and said
Your story's so touching but it sounds just like a lie

Straighten up and fly right
Straighten up and stay right
Straighten up and fly right
Cool down, papa, don't you blow your top.

Here was the unvarnished gospel Mark 7: 31 - 37 at 8:30 Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Chicago:

Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decap'olis.
And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they besought him to lay his hand upon him.

And taking him aside from the multitude privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue;
and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, "Eph'phatha," that is, "Be opened."

And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.
And he charged them to tell no one; but the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.

And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well; he even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak."

I have more wax in my soul than I do in my ears. I lose patience with my wonderful children. I want my vanities perfumed into virtues. I want my bank balance to mirror those vanities and continue to be astounded that, when I open the mail, there are no Honorary Degrees. or Fat Checks from Patrons.

In short, I need to hear "Eph'phatha," which Mel Gibson translates from the Aramaic of Jesus to 'Straighten Up and Fly Right!'

Cool down Papa don't you blow your top!

Happy Labor Day, Folks!

Click my post title for the translation.