Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!

And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?" Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not." He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me." Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed foaming at the mouth. So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!" Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."

- Mark 9:14-29

In yesterday's reading, Jesus took three of His disciples onto a high mountain apart by themselves. These are His inner circle, Peter and the brothers James and John Zebedee. He was transfigured before them: His clothes became whiter than any launderer on earth can make clothing appear, like light shining on snow. Elijah and Moses were talking with Him. Peter suggested they build three tabernacles for each of them. And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!" Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves. When they came down, Jesus told them to tell no one, until after the Son of Man rose from the dead. They pondered what this could mean, and asked, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" Then He answered and told them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him."

And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?" It's interesting to observe this new confrontation: some scribes disputing with Jesus' disciples. Jesus steps in to deal with the confrontation Himself. My study bible points out His loyalty to His own: "Jesus does not ask the disciples what they are discussing with the scribes; it is the scribes who must answer."

Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not." Instead, the man with the child who needs healing speaks out, coming to Christ Himself. This is a wonderful picture of the forces of the world around us, disputing about faith, all in some way a part of religious structure or the representation of God in the world. But the man who needs help comes Himself to Christ. This is a direct suggestion of prayer, or petition.

He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me." Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed foaming at the mouth. Even in front of Christ, this unclean spirit continues to convulse the boy. Often, we read in such cases the spirits recognize Christ, and ask to be unharmed, they are afraid. My study bible suggests that "faithless generation" is meant here for everyone concerned, including the father of the boy, and the disciples. It's important to understand, I think, that each one of the people present is someone who nominally is faithful: scribes, disciples, and the father of the boy. Christ gives us the awareness that there are degrees of faith: it is something we will continually struggle to grow into more deeply throughout our lives as the faithful, and we will meet challenges as we go on.

So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." My study bible has a note here that suggests something important. This comment "if you can do anything" is prompted by the disciples inability to cast out the demon. It notes: "What Christ's disciples can or cannot do reflects on the Lord Himself." I find of interest Christ's question, wanting to know more about the problem, investigating it more deeply, in dialogue with the petitioner, the father. We see also the quality of this spirit: it is bent on destruction of the innocent child.

Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" Again, my study bible has a helpful note, as we read about the idea that faith is a constant struggle that we seek to grow within, to more deeply form relationship to God. It says, "The presence of doubt does not imply the absence of faith. Christ honors whatever faith we have and will increase faith when we sincerely desire Him." This is also evidence of God's work within us. We have the willingness, we make the petition, but the Spirit does the work, to "help my unbelief!" Again, a helpful note: "All things are possible because of God's power released through faith. Jesus seeks to elicit faith from the child's father."

When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!" Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. Again, we see a truly evil nature to this spirit, its desire for destruction of the person, so that he became as one dead when it left him -- even convulsing him greatly as it left. It also tells us that there are degrees of evil, of malicious intent, just as there are "degrees" of faith. It seems to tell us that every moment offers us a choice to go more deeply in whatever direction we choose, no matter who we are or in what exactly we place our faith. It is a reminder that faith isn't a one-time choice, but one of constant vigilance, awareness, effort. Christ's words elsewhere remind us to keep awake, to watch and pray. It is an ongoing, unfolding Way for our lives.

And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting." Why couldn't they cast out the demon? Christ teaches two methods to deeper faith, the discipline of the life of faith. A number of ancient manuscripts do not include "and fasting" -- nevertheless, the whole history of the Church teaches us that it is appropriate as a source of Christian discipline to those for whom it is helpful in the life and development of deepening faith.

What does it mean to deepen our faith? I think today's text tells us clearly that life -- the life of faith -- isn't simply a "one time" choice, but one that involves a constant movement. We have minds, we are aware, awake, alert -- and Christ asks us to be alert always to our faith and the state of our faith. Here we have the importance of the discipline of prayer. It keep us in that place where we have to be aware of our own spiritual condition, of the things that are within us that need help, healing, and the faith that engages the Spirit to always assist, to always be with us. Life isn't a one-shot and you miss! It is a connection of moments that come to us one by one, always an opportunity to make a choice. The deeply malicious intent of the unclean spirit that is depicted here tells us also that when we turn against the ways of God, we also continue to make choices along a spectrum. But repentance, turning around, changing our minds, can also come anytime within those moments in which we are capable of making a choice, especially with help from the Spirit. In today's reading is also included the wonderful passage from 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, teaching us the way of love. This is in deep contradiction to the malice of the unclean spirit. We should read it carefully to understand the growing effects of faith within us, the teaching and building up of the Spirit in the inner life. After all, Christ's Way of compassion, as illustrated today, is also the Way of Love. This is the path along which we truly seek to grow in faith. Let it teach you as part of growing your faith; let it build up in you. Christ's offers us a Way forward, into deepening understanding, something always new in which to engage and find a deepening faith, and also, the fruits of faith. How do you engage in this today?