The deaf-mute, of whose marvelous cure by our Lord we have just now heard when the Gospel was read, represents those members of the human race who merit being freed by divine grace from the error brought on by the devil’s deceit. Man became deaf, unable to hear the word of life after, puffed up as he was against God, he listened to the serpent’s deadly words; he was made mute and unable to declare the praises of his Maker from the time when he presumed to have a conversation with his seducer. Rightly did God close man’s ears from hearing the praises of his Creator along with the angels – those ears which the unsuspected enemy by his speech had opened to hearing denunciation of this same Creator; rightly did God close man’s mouth from proclaiming the praises of his Creator along with the angels – that mouth which the proud deceiver had filled with his lies about the forbidden food, in order, as the devil said, to improve upon the work of this same Creator.
The Venerable Bede, Homily II.6
Locus Communis 