1 Minute Gospel. As through water and fire

Reading

Mark 9:14-29

14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

16 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.

Meditation

The story of the healing of the demon-possessed epileptic immediately follows that of the transfiguration of Jesus, which took place before Peter, James and John. Even though he dwells in glory, Christ does not neglect to humbly stoop to take care of the needs of his people.

The Greek verb ekthambeomai, with which Mark describes the feelings of the crowd at the sight of Jesus, is associated with fear and amazement. It seems to recall the fear of the people in front of the shining face of Moses after his descent from Mount Sinai, where he had received the tablets of the law from God (Ex 34:30).

Jesus finds the other nine disciples arguing with the scribes, because they failed to free a young man whom an evil spirit made unable to speak. He is surprised by the inability of the disciples, having given them all power, but also by the incredulity of the scribes and the people, which reflects the poor reception received by his ministry in Galilee.

The episode reported by Mark attests that receiving a missionary mandate from Jesus does not ensure success if great faith and fervent prayer do not nourish the apostolic ministry.

The father of the demon-possessed young man perfectly describes the anticonservative attitude instilled by the evil one in him. The devil hates man, that is made in the image and likeness of God, and pushes him towards death, first of all tempting him to sin, and in extraordinary cases, attacking his physical and mental integrity. Sometimes God allows us to meet him only after we have passed "through water and fire".

Although sometimes Jesus heals regardless of the person's faith (Mt 17:20; Lk 17:6), in this case he chooses to show the power of faith, to which "everything is possible" (v. 23).

The admission of the imperfection of his faith by the boy's father perhaps testifies to the doubts generated by the conflicting judgments on the figure of Jesus, but it is above all an act of humility, different from the attitude of the people and of the scribes who ask for signs and wonders as a condition for believing in Jesus. Faith, which is a gift from God, can only be increased by God, but it requires an open heart to welcome it. The father of the demon-possessed young man gains confidence in Jesus by turning to him and leaving the confused voices of the crowd in the background.

The indicative verb "I command you" (v. 25) used by Jesus reveals his absolute authority over the demons. His healings attest to his divinity by power over the natural order. His exorcisms show his divinity by power over the supernatural order.

The last attack launched by the evil one on the boy seems lethal, thus giving the gesture of Jesus the value of a resurrection, to which the Greek verbs egeiro and anistemi also allude: they are technical terms used in the New Testament to indicate the resurrection. It is precisely when we meet Christ that evil comes to light in all his shocking reality. Before the glory of God we feel terrified. Dying to ourselves means becoming aware of one's sense of total helplessness without the grace from which all good comes.

Prayer, not as a magic formula, but as an act of trusting abandonment into the hands of the Lord, will restore the freedom of God's children to us.

Prayer

Come and visit us Lord, and dissolve every bond that keeps us bound to evil; so that we can testify to the power in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, of your glorious name. Amen.

- Rev. Dr. Luca Vona