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Gospel of Mark 9:14-29
Jesus said to him,“‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has
faith.”Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!”Jesus, on seeing a crowd rapidly gathering, rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it,“Mute and deaf spirit, I command you: come out of him and never enter him again!” Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came
out. He became like a corpse, which caused many to say, “He is
dead!” But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him, and he stood
up. When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in
private, “Why could we not drive the spirit out?” He said to them, “This kind can only come out through
prayer.”
You Can Do It On Ebay, I recently purchased an official Vatican Pope Francis rosary. It features large blue crystal beads with an icon of the Pope along with the four basilicas. It will arrive blessed by the Pontiff with an official papal certificate. I should receive the rosary within the next two weeks. I've been on the look out for a Pope Francis rosary for some time now. Most of them are cheap souvenir types. This one is different. It's one of the rosaries the Holy Father gives to special guests who meet with him. I plan to pray this rosary as part of my Lenten observance.
I definitely need more of a "You Can Do It!" mentality. In today's gospel reading, I love how the epileptic's father says to Jesus: If you can do anything have compassion on us.....I believe, help my unbelief! He knows Christ can heal his son who has been sick since a child. The boy is cured by Jesus and Jesus alone. The disciples couldn't even heal the boy! What was the difference? Prayer.
Spiritual Dryness Lately, life has really beaten me up emotionally. My attitude hasn't been the best. I'm afraid I'm entering a dry spell when it comes to my faith. I realize prayer is the best way for me to relieve the dryness. Yet, I'm having trouble concentrating. I'm not hearing Our Lord speak to me as clearly as he did just a few months ago. Envy of others keep creeping into my mind and my heart. Even after going to reconciliation I'm still fighting the envy and jealousy fight. I wonder if I will ever be able to like the beauty and uniqueness of myself. Why do I always seem to desire to be like someone else? Why can't I be happy with how the Lord created me? Why do I long for other people's talents and not be satisfied with my own? I think others probably can relate to feelings of inadequacy and discontent. We always feel a competitiveness. We always want to "one up" someone else. We just have a hard time being satisfied with what Our Lord has given to us!
The disciples could have become discouraged when they were unable to heal the epileptic boy. They could have harbored envy toward our Lord thinking, "Well, we pray just as much as Jesus. How come our prayer didn't work?" However, disciples accepted the fact that sometimes only God can truly heal. We go to the doctor when we're sick. Also, we try healing ourselves with herbal remedies and concoctions. But, sometimes Our Lord is the only one who can heal us from our sufferings.
My Lenten goal is to prayerfully ask God's assistance in remedying my sadness, feelings of inadequacy, and envy toward others. I ask for Our Lord to allow me to see the good within myself. I want a "You can do it!" attitude where I'm able to push away my negative thoughts and form them into positive actions. Allow Lent to transform me into a better person!
-J.
I definitely need more of a "You Can Do It!" mentality. In today's gospel reading, I love how the epileptic's father says to Jesus: If you can do anything have compassion on us.....I believe, help my unbelief! He knows Christ can heal his son who has been sick since a child. The boy is cured by Jesus and Jesus alone. The disciples couldn't even heal the boy! What was the difference? Prayer.
Spiritual Dryness Lately, life has really beaten me up emotionally. My attitude hasn't been the best. I'm afraid I'm entering a dry spell when it comes to my faith. I realize prayer is the best way for me to relieve the dryness. Yet, I'm having trouble concentrating. I'm not hearing Our Lord speak to me as clearly as he did just a few months ago. Envy of others keep creeping into my mind and my heart. Even after going to reconciliation I'm still fighting the envy and jealousy fight. I wonder if I will ever be able to like the beauty and uniqueness of myself. Why do I always seem to desire to be like someone else? Why can't I be happy with how the Lord created me? Why do I long for other people's talents and not be satisfied with my own? I think others probably can relate to feelings of inadequacy and discontent. We always feel a competitiveness. We always want to "one up" someone else. We just have a hard time being satisfied with what Our Lord has given to us!
The disciples could have become discouraged when they were unable to heal the epileptic boy. They could have harbored envy toward our Lord thinking, "Well, we pray just as much as Jesus. How come our prayer didn't work?" However, disciples accepted the fact that sometimes only God can truly heal. We go to the doctor when we're sick. Also, we try healing ourselves with herbal remedies and concoctions. But, sometimes Our Lord is the only one who can heal us from our sufferings.
My Lenten goal is to prayerfully ask God's assistance in remedying my sadness, feelings of inadequacy, and envy toward others. I ask for Our Lord to allow me to see the good within myself. I want a "You can do it!" attitude where I'm able to push away my negative thoughts and form them into positive actions. Allow Lent to transform me into a better person!
-J.
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