The Good News for the Day, May 20, 2024
Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time (341) (For Roman Catholics, a Memorial of Mary, Mother of the church.
As Jesus came down off the highlands with Peter, James, John— heading back to His other followers, they saw a big gathering of people around them. Some learned people were arguing with them. When they saw Jesus, the crowd was surprised. People ran over to him to say hello.
He asked them, “What have you been discussing with those others?” Someone said, “Then, I brought my boy to you. He is mute, because of a demon. Wherever it takes hold of him, it throws him to the ground; he foams at the mouth. He grinds his teeth, and spasms. I asked your followers to do something, but they couldn’t do anything.”
He responded, “O, this world without faith! How long am I going to be with you? How long will I put up with you? Bring him to me.”
They brought the boy to him. As soon as he saw him, the demon controlling the boy immediately threw him into a seizure. As he fell to the ground, he began to roll around foaming at the mouth. Jesus then questioned the father, “How long has this been going on with him?” He replied, “Since childhood. It has often thrown him into fire and into water, threatening his life. If you can do anything, have compassion on us—help us!”
Jesus said to him, “‘If you can!?’ Everything is possible to someone with faith.” Then the boy’s father cried, “I do believe! Help my unbelief!”
Seeing a crowd gathering quickly, Jesus addressed the malevolent condition, “Mute-deaf spirit, I order you: let him alone—and don’t’ come back!” Screaming, throwing the boy into convulsions, it left.
The boy became inert—corpse-like—a situation which caused many to say, “He is dead!” But Jesus took the boy’s hand, raised him. He stood. When Jesus went into the house, his followers asked privately, “Why couldn’t we get that wrong thing to go away?” He said to them, “This kind can come out only through prayer.” (Mark 9)
So often, our understanding of prayer comes back to words we say out loud.
As Jesus points out here – prayer is faith, and prayer – real prayer – belongs to the world beyond words. The Psalms express faith in God – our needs, our appreciation, our grief and so on. From them we derive the Spirit that prompts our own faith.
Perhaps the reminder here for you and me is that some things happen beyond our best and most devout powers. Desperate, prayerful, and even faithful – we are not sufficient to change some things. Only God can. Somewhat humiliating perhap,s it is a good reminder that it is what God wants in our world and not what I want.
You and I may feel thwarted, upset, and even angry at God – certainly the way Job felt, and possibly the way Jesus felt in the garden of Gethsemane. Prayer counts anyway. In the world of the spirit, Jesus finishes what we cannot!
jorisheise 