The Gospel according to Mark (Mk 9:14-29)
As Jesus came down from the mountain with Peter, James, John and approached the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them. Immediately on seeing him, the whole crowd was utterly amazed. They ran up to him and greeted him. He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit. Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so.” He said to them in reply, “O faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you? Bring him to me.” They brought the boy to him. And when he saw him, the spirit immediately threw the boy into convulsions. As he fell to the ground, he began to roll around and foam at the mouth. Then he questioned his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” He replied, “Since childhood. It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.” Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!” Jesus, on seeing a crowd rapidly gathering, rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it, “Mute and deaf spirit, I command you: come out of him and never enter him again!” Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out. He became like a corpse, which caused many to say, “He is dead!” But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up. When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private, “Why could we not drive the spirit out?” He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer.”
Reflection: Just last Sunday, the Rams played in the Superbowl against the Cincinnati Bengals. Although it was a close game, and the Rams had the edge in the first half of the game. But the Bengals came back in the second half to take the lead. It seemed like the Rams shifted and couldn’t do things right anymore. Therefore, you couldn’t help thinking that things were looking grim and the reality that the Rams may lose the game. But with hope, optimism, and trust, they believed in themselves and won the game.
“Help me with my disbelief”. We too in our lives encounter situations that we think that we are never going to get away from. May it be financial situations, death, the pandemic, relationships, work, or anything else in our lives. And because of these situations, our “belief meter” seems to plumet which leaves room for disbelief. That is exactly what the evil one wants to happen … disbelief, loss of Hope therefore we lose touch with our support system … God! Sure, it’s easy to BELIEVE when things are good. When things are going well, people tend to forget about Christ and our faith is no longer our priority. But when things are bad, who do we lean to? Life will never be perfect and will never be the way we would like to script it. So, we need to pray daily to Our Lord and Thank Him for the good days and ask Him to get you through the bad. I for one before I shut my eyes Thank Him for the day and the lessons (good and bad) that He presented to me. And when I open my eyes every morning, the first thing I do is Thank Him for another day and to help me be a good disciple this day.
Jesus worked with the little faith this man had and He will do the same with us. He cured his son, and He will cure us when we come to Him with even a little faith. But the ideal is to then make sure that the little faith we have manifested grows. Coming to Him, out of love, is a true sign of a deep and authentic faith. The “Good News” from this parable is that we can gain HOPE just through prayer.
Action of the Day: Before you go to sleep, think about all the Blessings you had and the things that went bad. How would Jesus wanted you to handle that situation? Then Thank Him.
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