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)
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?