UNTESTED FAITH LIKE AN UNTESTED SOLDIER IS UNRELIABLE.
THE GOSPEL:
"As Jesus came down from the mountain with Peter, James, and 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.” (Mark 9: 14 - 29).
Monday February 24th, 2025 in the 7th Week in Ordinary Time.
We have a lot to chew from Today's Gospel. Jesus appeared to be annoyed when He chided the disciples and the father of the epileptic boy of lack of faith. The father of the epileptic boy answered:
”But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to In the Gospel of today from Mark 9: 14 - 29, the father of the epileptic boy was desperate to see his son healed at all cost.
”But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
The Bible has a lot to teach about the necessity of Faith:
#1 Without faith, we cannot please God.
#2 Although man cannot live on bread alone, the just man lives by faith.
#3 This world is in a bitter and deadly conflict between good and evil. Victory must come to the side with faith.
UNTESTED FAITH LIKE AN UNTESTED SOLDIER IS UNRELIABLE.
How do we get this precious faith?
Faith comes from hearing/reading the word of God constantly. To this, add prayer. For prayer and faith are like joined twins that can never be separated.
Your prayer must be fired by confident and expectant faith for God Himself has promised: Ask and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find. Knock and the door will swing open for you.
"The Eucharist is transforming for all who receive Me with faith and with confident devotion, but it is especially so for My priests. It is by the reception of My Body and Blood that you will grow in My friendship and in the shining priestly holiness by which I want to be glorified in you and in all My priests." (IN SINU JESU, Thursday, January 3, 2008 The Holy Name of Jesus).
"To maintain a joyful family requires much from both the parents and the children. Each member of the family has to become, in a special way, the servant of the others." (Pope John Paul II).
For Devotional prayer and prayer intentions to the Holy Family, click the link below:
