Jas 3:13-18
Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15
Mk 9:14-29 Full Readings
Faith and Prayer Go Together
Brethren, Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD), in his commentary on today's Gospel passage, reminds us that prayer and faith go together: "Where faith fails, prayer perishes. For who prays for that in which he does not believe? ...So then in order that we may pray, let us believe, and let us pray that this same faith by which we pray may not falter." No body prays to get that which he does not believe he will get, otherwise he is wasting his time, and in the same way, one who does not believe or doesn't have faith does not need to pray, or after all he prays, he does not really get what he prays for for he does not believe. Faith and prayer go together, when we pray we show that we have faith, and when we don't pray, there is no faith. This is what Jesus is trying to teach us today.
This comes after the disciples had failed to cast out the demons which was possessing a boy. The man who had brought his boy to the disciples to cast the demon out had expected that Jesus’ disciples would be able to act in Jesus' name, despite his absence. While people may not expect us to cast out demons, as Christians, and especially as religious leaders, people expect not only spiritual help from us but also charity and actions that show the presence of Christ in us and so each of us is called to make Christ present in the world. We must be able to prove, through our actions, our words and our way of life, that we believe in Jesus Christ, we follow him, and that his power is working in us. Do you know and understand what other people expect from you as a lay faithful Christian, as a priest, or a brother or a religious sister or any religious leader? Please don't disappoint them, as disciples did to the father of the boy and indeed the whole crowd.
How can we be able to do this? It is through prayer with an underlying condition of faith. When the disciples asked Jesus about why they could not cast the demon out, Jesus told them: “This kind can only come out through prayer.” Seemingly the disciples were relying on their own knowledge and strength rather than prayer. Our Christian life requires prayer. It is the connection between Jesus the vine and us the branches, and it is essential to bearing fruit: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). We can never succeed to do thing in the name of Christ when we are not connected with him in prayer and having strong faith in him. Our experience of today, is that those many pentecostals who have tried to do so have failed and have ended up badly. It follows therefore, that if we want to show the authentic love of God and his actions in us to others, prayer is the key.
Jesus Christ answers prayers addressed to him in faith as the CCC teaches. “Jesus teaches his disciples to pray with a purified heart, with lively and persevering faith, and with filial boldness. He calls them to vigilance and invites them to present their petitions to God in his name” (CCC 2621). With faith and prayer we are not going to dishearten people who come to us as God's chosen ones to get spiritual help from us, for they will not find us dry. Perhaps the man was disheartened by disciples failure to cast out the demon. It is possible that some of his enthusiasm had waned and that perhaps his confidence, even in Jesus, had been affected as well, and perhaps that is why he asked Jesus for his help somewhat tentatively with an IF, “...if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.”
Our failure as religious leaders and lay Christians not only dishearten those who come to us, but also make them lose confidence in us and even faith and trust in Jesus Christ. We need to work hard through prayer so that this does not happen, for if it happens, our punishment is worse (Luke 17:2). The testimony of our lives should impact others; they should expect us to help them encounter Jesus. If we are not asked challenging questions or asked to assist or intercede for those in need, we can wonder whether the faith we profess is a living faith, visible to those around us.
Let Us Pray
Lord Jesus, by your grace, may prayer and faith be my weapons to fight the devil and all worldly pleasures, so that with them, people may experience your love and receive their healing through me. Amen
Be blessed
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