Monday 7th week in ordinary time
"Mk 9:14-29"
A man said to Jesus, "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit...I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me."...[The father] said, "if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us." And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!"
This happened when Jesus was coming down from Mount Tabor with Peter, James and John after His Transfiguration. We can imagine what happened. This man brought his son to be healed but Jesus was up on the mountain. The Apostles waiting there thought, 'Well, maybe we can try. After all, we have done this before.' One after another they did what they knew: imposition of hands, commanding the devil to leave, different prayers aloud, but all to no avail. The devil was still tormenting that boy and his father grew discouraged. The Apostles then told the man to have courage - Jesus wouldn't fail.
Maybe the father replied to them, 'Yes, He has done it before with others; but so have you, disciples of His, and today you couldn't! What if this case is different? What if this demon is more powerful? What if Jesus can't do anything either?!' Then Jesus arrived. The father explained everything to Him and said that sad tag line, "if you can do anything..." Jesus didn't like that sentence. "If you can!" He repeated; it is not about what I CAN, but about what YOU BELIEVE, because "all things are possible to him who believes." Then the man understood: his lack of faith could be responsible for his son not being healed. So he begged for faith: "help my unbelief!"
A doctor told a couple that, despite all their efforts, they would not be able to have children. The woman went to Mass and heard the priest proclaiming today's Gospel: "all things are possible to him who believes." During Holy Communion she asked for 'the miracle' - and as soon as she arrived home, she took out her knitting needles and started making a baby outfit. The following year the same bewildered doctor was delivering the couple's baby. Holy Mary, Virgin Most Faithful, increase my faith!
