Nothing will be impossible for you

And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him." Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me." And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."

- Matthew 17:14-20

On Saturday, we read of Jesus' Transfiguration. He had taken Peter, and James and John Zebedee to a high mountain. There, we read, He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. Moses and Elijah appeared with Him. Peter suggested they build booths for each. While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" The apostles were frightened, but Jesus told them not to be afraid. When they looked up, the vision had gone. As they came down, Jesus told them: "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead." And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands." Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.

And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him." As the disciples begin to share in Jesus' power, they find limitations on their ability to heal. My study bible points out that in Scripture, many sicknesses -- especially epilepsy -- are associated with demonic power. Therefore this healing involves exorcism, releasing the boy from the power of his affliction and oppression. What we see here is the impact of that which oppresses and is evil: the self-destructive illness that repeatedly harms and threatens him, brings with it suffering and danger to the boy. Here, my study bible points out, the disciples' failure is in their inability to banish Satan. We can see it in light of the Transfiguration from yesterday's reading, and the struggles and suffering of both John the Baptist and that which lies ahead for Jesus. The evil that oppresses the world is not easily thrown off; it involves a struggle.

Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me." In several readings, we've heard Jesus refer to the disciples as "you of little faith." But here He calls them "faithless." These seem like very harsh words, but we have to understand there is a message and a teaching here. And the connection we make to the power to throw off evil oppression is that it is rooted in faith. Faith not only gives us a kind of strength and potency, but it is also a relationship in which we help to facilitate and function as bearers of the Kingdom in the world, His kingdom.

And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." We recall the parable of the mustard seed, which has already been given to us in Matthew's Gospel. But here again, we are given a deeper understanding of faith and how it works in the world, and through us. This faith is a connection with Christ in which we work in His name -- that is, in His will, power, energies, mercy. Some may read this as a prescription for magical thinking, but it is nothing of the kind. Instead, it is telling us about the nature of faith.

My study bible has an important note on faith here: "Faith is a gift of God, either (1) an assent to the truth, which profits the soul (John 3:18, 5:24), or (2) a special gift bestowed by Christ which effects things beyond man's power (Mark 11:23; 1 Cor. 12:8,9). But it is always both a belief and a trust." There is also another important note, which is connected, on Jesus' healing of this boy: "To everyone in need He says, 'Bring him here to Me!'" Faith and love are interconnected; the love of Christ is what includes those others who work and participate in this Kingdom in His power, as His disciples. What we share in faith is always a belief and a trust, as my study bible says, but it is so through connection, through the will that is connected through love. And in that circle of power we really find what faith can do in us, and with us. It is that circle that builds the body of Christ. And it is the strength in all of that transforming reality that gives us the power that breaks the gates of Hades. It is that faith, connected in Christ's love and truth, that makes us a part of this Kingdom. So how do you bear that into the world, in your life? As my study bible points out, great gifts come with that true faith. But it is always rooted in His love, and our ability to connect with that love, so that nothing else really matters. Wherever we are or have been, there the Kingdom may be also, if we accept His strength in us. We are on the journey He takes us into. Our faith propels us on the Way.