Daily reflection _ the faith the Lord expects of us

THE FAITH THE LORD EXPECTS OF US
Prayer and faith go hand and hand. "Where faith fails, prayer perishes. For who prays for that in which he does not believe? So then in order that we may pray, let us believe, and let us pray that this same faith by which we pray may not falter." (Augustine of Hippo)
Deacon John Ruscheinsky
The point of today's Gospel can be summarized in one sentence from Jesus Christ, "Everything is possible to one who has faith" (Mk 9:23). The inability of Jesus' disciples to heal the boy brought disappointment to this pleading father. Jesus' response seems stern, but in reality, it is tempered with love and compassion. We see at once both Jesus' dismay with the disciples' lack of faith as well as His concern to meet the need of this troubled boy and his anguished father. Jesus recognizes the weakness of the father's faith, but He also sees how his weakness challenges him to pray ever more boldly for the healing of his son.
Saint Augustine of Hippo, in his commentary on this passage, reminds us that prayer and faith go hand and hand. "Where faith fails, prayer perishes. For who prays for that in which he does not believe? So then in order that we may pray, let us believe, and let us pray that this same faith by which we pray may not falter."
Jesus commands the evil spirit to come out of the boy. The demon leaves with great violence and Jesus reaches over and raises the boy up, an obvious reference to the resurrection and new life. The bad spirit is gone and the boy is restored to health. The disciples have been unsure about Jesus from the beginning. At this time, their faith still is not solid and rooted in the conviction that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.
In today's Responsorial Psalm we acclaim, "The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul" (Ps 19:7). May we trust in our heavenly Father's love and care for us!
What about our own faith?