The Healing of a Boy with a Demon.

When they came to the 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 it out?”  He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer.”

The point to wonder about: 

I have faith, help my little faith

There is some missing context here needed to help flesh out the picture. The disciples were not able to drive out the unclean spirit despite having been deputized by Jesus for the task. Why? We are not told with any degree of clarity. The father comes to Jesus with desperate hope but without certainty. Who can blame him for his doubt? This has been a life-long battle for the father and up to that moment, nothing could be done to help save the boy. 

The man addresses Jesus asking for help if Jesus can do anything. Jesus rebukes all present, disciples, scribes and the father for the doubt expressed and the failure to help the boy. His clear message is that he can help, he can always help but only with help from God. 

The father responds to Jesus in an often quoted but enigmatic way. I believe, help my unbelief. 

It is a prayer I might choose to repeat myself. Often. I believe but is the faith I possess from my belied strong enough? No. Not even close. I gain some insight into the struggles of the disciples. They believed they could cast out the unclean spirit or they would not have even tried. They may have even used the same words Jesus used, "come out and never enter him again." Where they went wrong is they may have spoken as if they were God rather than speaking as messengers of God. Perhaps if they had said, "God, help us demand the unclean spirit "come out and never enter him again" they would have gotten the job done. When Jesus tells them “This kind can only come out through prayer” he clearly says as much.

What is the lesson for me? My faith is the size of a mustard seed and even though I believe and have faith, I can do nothing on my own. We rely always on God's loving intercession to do anything of value. As I look at the day ahead, I ask God to help as work on developing the course for CTK. 

I ask for him to help me to be kind and patient enough to offer the grace to others I so desperately need. 

I ask for him to be with me as I meet with my family for prayer and chat time. 

I ask for his blessings and help in Irish class. 

A prayer for today:

My beliefs and faith may motivate me to do the right things but God, I pray, help me to do them in your name for your service.