First reading Ecclesiasticus 1:1-10
Before all other things, wisdom was created
All wisdom is from the Lord,
and it is his own for ever.
The sand of the sea and the raindrops,
and the days of eternity, who can assess them?
The height of the sky and the breadth of the earth,
and the depth of the abyss, who can probe them?
Before all other things wisdom was created,
shrewd understanding is everlasting.
For whom has the root of wisdom ever been uncovered?
Her resourceful ways, who knows them?
One only is wise, terrible indeed,
seated on his throne, the Lord.
He himself has created her, looked on her and assessed her,
and poured her out on all his works
to be with all mankind as his gift,
and he conveyed her to those who love him.
Responsorial Psalm 92(93):1-2,5
The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
The Lord is king, in splendor robed;
robed is the Lord and girt about with strength.
The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
And he has made the world firm,
not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
from everlasting you are, O Lord.
The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed:
holiness befits your house,
O Lord, for length of days.
The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
Gospel Mark 9:14-29
Help the little faith I have!
When Jesus, with Peter, James and John came down from the mountain and rejoined the disciples, they saw a large crowd round them and some scribes arguing with them. The moment they saw him the whole crowd were struck with amazement and ran to greet him. ‘What are you arguing about with them?’ he asked. A man answered him 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 cast it out and they were unable to.’ ‘You faithless generation’ he said to them in reply. ‘How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.’ They brought the boy to him, and as soon as the spirit saw Jesus it threw the boy into convulsions, and he fell to the ground and lay writhing there, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’ ‘From childhood,’ he replied ‘and it has often thrown him into the fire and into the water, in order to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.’ ‘If you can?’ retorted Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for anyone who has faith.’ Immediately the father of the boy cried out, ‘I do have faith. Help the little faith I have!’ And when Jesus saw how many people were pressing round him, he rebuked the unclean spirit. ‘Deaf and dumb spirit,’ he said ‘I command you: come out of him and never enter him again.’ Then throwing the boy into violent convulsions it came out shouting, and the boy lay there so like a corpse that most of them said, ‘He is dead.’ But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him up, and he was able to stand. When he had gone indoors his disciples asked him privately, ‘Why were we unable to cast it out?’ ‘This is the kind’ he answered ‘that can only be driven out by prayer.
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Help my lack of faith!
‘I have faith. Help my lack of faith!’ This was the heartfelt cry of a father desperate to see his son cured. In the different situations we encounter, we can borrow the father’s words in our daily prayers to God. No doubt that we are people of faith. We pray, receive the sacraments and try to be witnesses of Christ. However, there are times when we need to ask Jesus to increase our faith and persevere it with enthusiasm, especially when things do not go as we would like them to. We may struggle with faith when we look at the future with pessimism, or when we see a loved one suffering from a painful sickness and we feel helpless to help. It is during these moments that our prayer needs to be intensified, asking God to help us trust in Him and to believe that even in the most painful situations, He is present, sharing in our struggles, and never leaving us alone.
Let us confidently place ourselves in God’s hands as we seek Him to help us overcome our lack of faith.
Reflective question:
Is my faith strong enough to face the difficult situations of life?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
