Gospel for the Day with Pointers

Monday, 20th May,2013

Ord. Wk 7th

Mk 9:17-19.21.23-25

A man spoke to Jesus from the crowd, ‘Master, I have brought my son to you; there is a spirit of dumbness in him, and when it takes hold of him it throws him to the ground, and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and goes rigid. And I asked your disciples to drive it out and they were unable to.’

In reply Jesus said to them, ‘Faithless generation, how much longer must I be among you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.’ Jesus asked the father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’ ‘From childhood,’ he said, ‘But if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.’

‘If you can?’ retorted Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for one who has faith.’ At once the father of the boy cried out, ‘I have faith. Help my lack of faith!’ And when Jesus saw that a crowd was gathering, he rebuked the unclean spirit. ‘Deaf and dumb spirit,’ he said, ‘I command you: come out of him and never enter him again.’

• The apostles had followed and lived with Jesus for three years.  During Jesus’ pastoral ministry He preached with great Wisdom and performed miracles that were never seen before.  Jesus also developed a personal relationship with each of them.
  
  
• Yet, in spite of all these blessings they were unable to heal the deaf and dumb boy. Faith is a gift from God that must be nurtured and deepened daily through prayer, good deeds, Bible reading and service to God and the like.  Otherwise, Faith stagnates and remains superficial and weak.
  
  
• It is good to ask ourselves, “What is the state of my faith?  Am I living a Christ-like life daily?”