Monday, February 24, 2014
7th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Jas 3:13-18
Gospel: Mk 9:14–29
When they came to the place where they had left the disciples, they saw many people around and some teachers of the Law arguing with them. When the people saw Jesus, they were astonished and ran to greet him.
He asked, “What are you arguing about with them?” A man answered him from the crowd, “Master, I brought my son to you for he has a dumb spirit. Whenever the spirit seizes him, it throws him down and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth and becomes stiff all over. I asked your disciples to drive the spirit out, but they could not.”
Jesus replied, “You faithless people. How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him.
As soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it shook and convulsed the boy who fell on the ground and began rolling about, foaming at the mouth. Then Jesus asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” He replied, “From childhood. And it has often thrown him into the fire and into the water to destroy him. If you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.”
Jesus said to him, “Why do you say: ‘If you can?’ All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe, but help the little faith I have.”
Jesus saw that the crowd was increasing rapidly, so he ordered the evil spirit, “Dumb and deaf spirit, I command you: Leave the boy and never enter him again.” The evil spirit shook and convulsed the boy and with a terrible shriek came out. The boy lay like a corpse and people said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him and the boy stood up.
After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive out the spirit?” And he answered, “Only prayer can drive out this kind, nothing else.”
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
The epoch of the devil ended when God inserted himself into human history. Imagine the harassment the people had to bear from the evil one before Christ came! The devil still made attempts even after the incarnation of Jesus. But in the cases brought to the attention of Jesus the devil had to let go.
Today we have reasons to suspect that the time of the devil is back, not because God is out of control but because we have created the ambience of moral degradation. This environment is the perfect one that brings the devil’s age back. Not all is lost for us though. In today’s Gospel reading Jesus had identified prayer as the devil’s Achilles heel.
According to St. Ignatius de Loyola we must pray like everything depended on God and work like everything depended on us. A person who truly prays for deliverance avoids occasions of sin and works hard to dismantle sinful structures. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com.
Prayer for the day: God our Father, grant us the grace to deepen our spiritual life and so resist the devil solid in our faith and grounded in our practice of charity. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
CHURCH BULLETIN:
SAINT OF THE DAY: ST. ETHELBERT was born a pagan, being a descendant of Hengist, the legendary ancestor of the Jutish House of Kent. His marriage to a Christian princess, Bertha and the arrival in England of St. Augustine of Canterbury were strong factors in the eventual conversion of King Ethelbert to Christianity. Besides his efforts to promote the welfare of his people, the king gave his full support to the cause of Christianity. He died in 616 after reigning for 56 years.
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