Help my unbelief!
Published Feb 21, 2022 12:05 am
REFLECTIONS TODAY
A man from the crowd brings to Jesus his son who is suffering from epilepsy, an illness attributed to the possession by a dumb spirit. His initial desire was to bring the sick boy to Jesus, but in Jesus’ absence he brought the boy to the disciples who were unable to heal him. Jesus reproaches especially the disciples as “faithless generation.” He had earlier promised that the disciples would have the authority to drive out demons, and when they were sent on a mission, they had their initial success (Mk 6:7, 13). Their “lack of faith” and inability to drive out the dumb spirit is probably to be traced to the increasing arrogance about their self-understanding. They think that they possess the power on their own. There is no sign that they turn to Jesus in their incapacity. In contrast, the man proclaims his belief—and the littleness of his belief—and asks Jesus to help him in his failure. The disciples are to learn from this man to turn to Jesus and not to impose their own idea about discipleship.
Gospel • Mk 9:14-29
As Jesus came down from the mountain with Peter, James, and John, and approached the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them. Immediately on seeing , 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 it out?” He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer.”
SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2022,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
A man from the crowd brings to Jesus his son who is suffering from epilepsy, an illness attributed to the possession by a dumb spirit. His initial desire was to bring the sick boy to Jesus, but in Jesus’ absence he brought the boy to the disciples who were unable to heal him. Jesus reproaches especially the disciples as “faithless generation.” He had earlier promised that the disciples would have the authority to drive out demons, and when they were sent on a mission, they had their initial success (Mk 6:7, 13). Their “lack of faith” and inability to drive out the dumb spirit is probably to be traced to the increasing arrogance about their self-understanding. They think that they possess the power on their own. There is no sign that they turn to Jesus in their incapacity. In contrast, the man proclaims his belief—and the littleness of his belief—and asks Jesus to help him in his failure. The disciples are to learn from this man to turn to Jesus and not to impose their own idea about discipleship.
Gospel • Mk 9:14-29
As Jesus came down from the mountain with Peter, James, and John, and approached the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them. Immediately on seeing , 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 it out?” He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer.”
SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2022,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.