The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/022519.cfm)
reminds me how
powerful God is. We also see how powerful faith is, and that we should ask for
it.
The
gospel tells of a story of a boy possessed by a powerful demon – so powerful
that the disciples could not drive it out. The boy’s father was losing hope,
feeling helpless on the situation. See an excerpt of the conversation between
the boy’s father and Jesus.
“‘If you can!’ Everything is
possible to one who has faith.”
Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!”
As
human beings, we are sometimes limited by what we see. We tend to think “realistically”,
based on our situation or on what is actually happening. We focus on what is
obvious and what we think is possible based on what happened previously or what
our senses can perceive and do. However, unfortunately, sometimes we think God
is in the same boat with us – that he is limited by time and space, that his
power is not real anymore, that he cannot do things except those what we think
is possible and normal. We sometimes base our faith on what we think is
possible instead on what God can do. We say we have faith in God, but at the
back of our minds, we are thinking of alternative ways because we don’t think
God will really come to help us out.
God
is very powerful. However, Faith is important for God to do miracles.
It
has been mentioned that faith can move mountains, and the lack of
faith of people caused him not to do many miracles in his own town. And in the
gospel, we are reminded that anything is possible to one who has faith.
We may not immediately have that strong a faith, and it’s okay. As we can see,
the boy’s father cried out to Jesus. I do believe, help my unbelief.
Yes, I believe but not entirely. Naniniwala naman ako, Lord, pero kulang pa. I
have faith in you – your love and your power, but sometimes the power of the
world, the temptations and distractions of the world, is just so overwhelming.
God, help me. Increase my faith.
God
hears us. Jesus heard the prayer of the man, and healed the son. God has faith
in us as well. He filled up what was missing. He added to the lack of
faith of the man and healed the boy. We need not be perfect, we just need
to be humble and sometimes, that is enough for God.
How
often do we act like the father? How often do we feel helpless in situations,
that we think God cannot do anything about it? How often do we say we trust in
God, but are not sure of it ourselves? How often do we say we have faith but
deep in our hearts, we are still troubled and we do not know if God can really
help us out? Do we ask for faith from God, and do what we can to increase our
faith?
May
we always remember how powerful God is, and may we be humble enough to admit
that we lack faith, and pray that God help our unbelief and increase our faith
in Him. May we really remember and live this – nothing is impossible to those
who have faith.
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for the weekend. Thank you
for a new week. Thank you for your great love and great power. Thank you
for this beautiful reminder as I start the week – that nothing is impossible to
those who have faith. Lord, sorry for not having a strong faith in you. Sorry
for letting the world overwhelm me. Sorry for being weak. Father God, I pray
that you help me unbelief. I pray that you increase my faith. There are a lot
of things I am thinking – things about my career, my family, and my service to
you. Lord, I pray that you increase my faith and help me just trust in you as I
live. I know you have great plans for me, and I know you will not disappoint
me. May I always be open and allow you to pleasantly surprise me as I live for
you. Amen.
Blessed Week!
In Christ,
-g-
Ps
See related reflection:
February 25 2019
Monday of the Seventh Week in
Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 341
Lectionary: 341
Reading
1 SIR 1:1-10
All
wisdom comes from the LORD
and with him it remains forever, and is before all time
The sand of the seashore, the drops of rain,
the days of eternity: who can number these?
Heaven's height, earth's breadth,
the depths of the abyss: who can explore these?
Before all things else wisdom was created;
and prudent understanding, from eternity.
The word of God on high is the fountain of wisdom
and her ways are everlasting.
To whom has wisdom's root been revealed?
Who knows her subtleties?
To whom has the discipline of wisdom been revealed?
And who has understood the multiplicity of her ways ?
There is but one, wise and truly awe-inspiring,
seated upon his throne:
There is but one, Most High
all-powerful creator-king and truly awe-inspiring one,
seated upon his throne and he is the God of dominion.
It is the LORD; he created her through the Holy Spirit,
has seen her and taken note of her.
He has poured her forth upon all his works,
upon every living thing according to his bounty;
he has lavished her upon his friends.
and with him it remains forever, and is before all time
The sand of the seashore, the drops of rain,
the days of eternity: who can number these?
Heaven's height, earth's breadth,
the depths of the abyss: who can explore these?
Before all things else wisdom was created;
and prudent understanding, from eternity.
The word of God on high is the fountain of wisdom
and her ways are everlasting.
To whom has wisdom's root been revealed?
Who knows her subtleties?
To whom has the discipline of wisdom been revealed?
And who has understood the multiplicity of her ways ?
There is but one, wise and truly awe-inspiring,
seated upon his throne:
There is but one, Most High
all-powerful creator-king and truly awe-inspiring one,
seated upon his throne and he is the God of dominion.
It is the LORD; he created her through the Holy Spirit,
has seen her and taken note of her.
He has poured her forth upon all his works,
upon every living thing according to his bounty;
he has lavished her upon his friends.
Responsorial
Psalm PS
93:1AB, 1CD-2, 5
R.(1a) The Lord is king; he is
robed in majesty.
The LORD is king, in splendor robed;
robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.
R.The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
And he has made the world firm,
not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
from everlasting you are, O LORD.
R.The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed:
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, for length of days.
R.The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
The LORD is king, in splendor robed;
robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.
R.The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
And he has made the world firm,
not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
from everlasting you are, O LORD.
R.The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed:
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, for length of days.
R.The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
Alleluia SEE 2 TM 1:10
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel 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.”
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.”
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