Sirach 1:1-10, Ps 93,
Mk 9:14-29
What a drama! As Jesus came down
the mountain with Peter, James and John, he was confronted with a commotion. A man
had brought his possessed son to the disciples but they were unable to cure the
boy. The crowd gathered, voices raised and a sense of desperation seized them
all. Doubt and, probably, regret reigned. Hence, Jesus exclaimed, “O faithless
generation, how long am I to be with you?...Bring him to me.” At meeting Jesus,
the evil spirit itself joined in the commotion and “it convulsed the boy, and
he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.” After the father
of the boy expressed his faith, Jesus cured the boy.
Our silent reflection today
captures three main actors in the gospel
drama above:
1.) The
devil is the cause of the problem. We see that the devil, hidden behind the
scene, generates confusion. He appears to exercise so much force and power,
which instils fear in the subjects.
2.) The
man and his son. These are the subjects of the evil influence. They have been
shaken by evil! And the man’s faith was shaken too. We see in them how man,
left on his own, is helpless in the face of evil. Interestingly, until solution
comes, the confusion would continue to increase because evil sustains itself by
creation more problems. Further, the man with problems is compelled to seek for
help or solution and to make choices. However, such problem-induced choices can
be misleading. Instead, he should make faith-induced choices, since “all things
are possible for him who believes.”
3.) Jesus.
He is the solution to the problem. His presence calmed the commotion! We see
Jesus unmoved in the face of the evil at hand. Rather, he grieved for their
lack of faith. His calmness and serenity convey His power, which exposes the
empty noise of the evil spirit. In the presence of Jesus, what the man besieged
by evil portrays as too strong, is
completely deflated.
But the first reading eulogizes
wisdom. It says God alone is wise. He is the creator of wisdom, and poured her
out upon all His works. “She dwells with all flesh according to His gift, and
He supplied her to those who love Him.” So, Jesus the Incarnate Wisdom of God,
stands in our midst as our wise choice in the face of life challenges. The
wisdom of the man is shown in his profession of faith in Jesus. This faith,
which envelopes us in the gentle saving power of Jesus, is deepened and sustained
through prayer and fasting. Hence Jesus said to the disciples, “This kind
cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.” Therefore, our wise
choice in faith must include prayer and fasting since they bring us closer to
Jesus who is our victory over evil.
Fr Jude Chinwe Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
All Saints Catholic Church,
Agip Estate, Port Harcourt
20/02/2017
