The Healing of a Boy with a Demon

Today's Reflections

The Healing of a Boy with a Demon

 

Mk 9:14-29

¹⁴When [Jesus, Peter, James, and John] came to the [other] disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them. ¹⁵Immediately on seeing [Jesus], the whole crowd was utterly amazed. They ran up to him and greeted him. ¹⁶He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” ¹⁷Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit. ¹⁸Wherever 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.” ¹⁹He 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.”

²⁰They 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. ²¹Then he questioned his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” He replied, “Since childhood. ²²It 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.” ²³Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.” ²⁴Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!” ²⁵Jesus, 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!” ²⁶Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out. He became like a corpse, which caused many to say, “He is dead!” ²⁷But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up. ²⁸When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private, “Why could we not drive it out?” ²⁹He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer.”

Reflection:
 

I do believe, help my unbelief! The father has brought his son possessed by a mute spirit to the disciples. But they are unable to drive it out.

With the disciples’ faith found wanting, the father turns to Jesus and expresses his faith that Jesus can perform the exorcism. And the father’s faith is confirmed with Jesus’ healing.

Besides faith, Jesus points out the need for prayer. Prayer is opening our hearts and minds to God, attuning our will to God’s will, and conforming our ways to God’s ways. In prayer we lift up our spirits to God and ask God to take control of our lives or to rule over our hearts. We allow God to make us instruments of healing and mercy.

Nurture your faith with prayer.