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

 

 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.  However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."

 

- Matthew 17:14-21 

 

Yesterday we read that after six days following St. Peter's confession of faith, and His subsequent revelation to the disciples of His Passion (see here and here), Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.  His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.  And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."  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!"  And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.  But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid."  When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.  Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "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."  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.  My study Bible comments that sickness in Scripture is often connected to demonic activity.  By kneeling, this father is showing humility, but he lacks faith.  While the disciples also lacked faith, as Jesus says (see verse 20), He rebukes the man for putting the blame on the disciples when it was his greater lack of faith that prevented the boy's healing.  Effectively, Jesus is defending His disciples in front of the multitudes, but later rebukes them privately (verses 19-21).  This teaches us that we should first correct people in private (see also Matthew 18:15-17).

 

 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.  However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."  My study Bible cites St. John Chrysostom, who notes that this rebuke is directed at the nine disciples who could not cast out the demon.  The "pillars" of faith -- Peter, James, and John (Galatians 2:9) -- were not included in the rebuke, as they had been on the mountain with Christ (see yesterday's reading, above).   This kind, my study Bible says, refers to all powers of darkness, and not only those that cause a particular illness.  The banishment of demons requires faith, prayer, and fasting (verses 20-21), for there isn't any healing or victory in spiritual warfare without all three of these.  Beginning with the Didache, Church Fathers have taught that both the person in need of healing and the person performing the healing must believe, pray, and fast.  Regarding moving a mountain, my study Bible comments that while it is not recorded that an apostle literally moved a mountain, Church Fathers are clear that they had this authority if the need had arisen (there were certain saints who made crevices appear in mountains).  Moreover, not everything the apostles accomplished was written down.  Beyond its literal meaning, Christ's promise is also an illustration of the power of faith and prayer in all areas of life.  Theophylact comments, "Whatever we ask, without hesitation and believing in God's power, we shall receive" when we ask for spiritually profitable things.

 

 Faith plays the starring role, the central part, in today's reading.  Faith is such an essential part of all of the Bible, not just Jesus' gospel message.  But it plays an even deeper role, if that is possible, in the New Testament.  Yesterday's reading (above) gave us the event of the Transfiguration, and a great element present (indicating God's presence) is light.  That is, the uncreated light of God.  But in the Transfiguration were also the elements of light that guided the Israelites through the wilderness, as they followed Moses in search of the Promised Land.  The "bright cloud" in yesterday's reading was a reminder of the pillar of fire that burned by night, and the cloud overhead during the day that guided Israel at that time.  But the root that all of these symbols and forms of light is really faith.  Why follow the pillar of fire?  Why follow the bright cloud?  Why follow Moses (who also appeared in yesterday's reading)?  These are all done through the power of faith, and it is the power of faith that is at the heart of whatever good came out of that struggle, that obedience to God, that Promise of God for the people to find their home.  But here in today's reading, Christ's emphasis on faith takes an even deeper step.  This faith isn't only about obedience to God's word, but it is the very thing that enables God's power to work to help human beings, to create the fruits of God's work and manifest signs and miracles, and to have the power to cast out demons.  If we consider Christ coming into a world "ruled" by the evil one (John14:30), then He came into our world as Savior as in a battle.  He described the battle in these terms Himself, when He spoke of the "stronger man" who could overcome the strong man of this world, after the religious leaders accused Him of casting out demons by the power of Satan (see Luke 11:16-23).  At that time, Jesus made a remarkable statement of invincibility:  "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters."  But with all of His power, without our faith, we cannot access its strength for our help.  Only faith is the key that unlocks God's promises for us, and it truly does so much.  Jesus says in today's that "this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."  This gives us an important clue that we can bolster our faith through the practices given to us in the Church, such as prayer and fasting, a very important affirmation by Christ of the power of these tools of our faith.  Just as the Israelites wandered in the desert following Moses, so I have found in my life that faith made all the difference for the path that I was on, for it guided me in good steps through difficult circumstances.  Let us remember how essential our faith is to who we are and to what kind of lives we lead; it is Christ who leads us on that narrow path that is the good one for us and there is no other to help.  One thing is for certain, regardless of how strong we might think our faith is, there is always a greater faith to gain and grow into.  Jesus speaks of the power of faith as small as a mustard seed!  Just imagine what is possible with God.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a 'den of thieves

 

 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"

 

Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.  But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, 'Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant and said to Him, "Do you hear what these are saying?"  And Jesus said to them, "Yes.  Have you never read,

'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants

You have perfected praise'?" 

Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.  

Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.  And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again."  Immediately the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither away so soon?"  So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea, it will be done.  And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

 

- Matthew 21:12-22 

 

Yesterday we read that when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her.  Loose them and bring them to Me.  And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them."  All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:  "Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.'"  So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them.  They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them.  And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David!  'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'  Hosanna in the highest!" And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?"  So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."   

 

 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"   My study Bible tells us that those who bought and sold were trading in live animals to be used for sacrifices.  The money changers were a necessary part of these transactions, as they traded Roman coins for Jewish coins.  This is because Roman coins bore the image of Caesar (portrayed as a god) and were therefore considered to be defiling in the temple.  The cleansing of the temple, my study Bible notes, also points to the necessity of keeping the Church free from earthly pursuits.  Each person is considered to be a temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19), and so this also presents to us a sign that our hearts and minds must be cleansed of earthly matters.  Jesus quotes from Isaiah 56:7, Jeremiah 7:11.  

Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.  But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, 'Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant and said to Him, "Do you hear what these are saying?"  And Jesus said to them, "Yes.  Have you never read, 'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise'?"  Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.   My study Bible cites a verse from the Orthodox Vespers service of Palm Sunday:  "Keep the feast with the children, and holding branches in your hands, sing 'Hosanna.'"  It notes that there are many liturgical hymns of this day (Palm Sunday, the day in which we celebrate Christ's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem -- see yesterday's reading, above), which emphasize the perfect praise of the children, which my study Bible says was unlike that of the adults; the praise of the children was innocent, fitting, unashamed, and from hearts of pure love.  It notes that we are called to glorify Christ in the same spirit (see Matthew 18:1-4).  In contrast, the praise of the adults carried earthly expectations and agendas which, when left unfulfilled, led them to rebel against Christ just five days later (Matthew 27:20-23).  Jesus quotes from Psalm 8:2.

Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.  And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again."  Immediately the fig tree withered away.   The fig tree, my study Bible explains, is a symbol of prosperity and peace.  But here it withers as it is fruitless; this is a prophetic act by Jesus, directed at the nation, for after three years of Christ's preaching, teaching, and healing, both the leaders and the crowds were destitute of spiritual fruit.  Jesus curses this tree also as a warning to each generation of what will befall anyone who fails to listen to His message.  

And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither away so soon?"  So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea, it will be done.  And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."  My study Bible comments here that while it is not recorded that an apostle literally moved a mountain, in patristic commentary it's clear that they had this authority if the need had arisen (certain saints did make crevices appear in mountains).  Moreover, not all things come by the apostles was written down.  Beyond this literal meaning, Christ's promise is also an illustration of the power of faith and prayer in all areas of life.  My study Bible quotes Theophylact:  "Whatever we ask, without hesitation and believing in God's power, we shall receive" when we ask for spiritually profitable things.

Jesus cleanses the temple in today's reading.  In the commentary on this passage, my study Bible reminds us of St. Paul's teaching in (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19), that we are each, in fact, a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in each one.  Effectively, since this is so, we are reminded that we also need to be aware of our own need for either regular "cleansing" ourselves, or to be on our guard against the kinds of things that would necessitate such cleansing.  In the case of ourselves as a temple of God, this practice is often called guarding the heart, and what it indicates is that we need our own vigilance regarding the things we take in from the world and allow to grow to become a part of ourselves.  In Galatians 5, St. Paul speaks of a kind of battle going on between the desires of the flesh and those of the Spirit.  He says, "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish" (Galatians 5:17).  He then lists the works of the flesh:  "adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like" (Galatians 5:19-21).  We note that these are things that begin within us, as Jesus has explicitly taught in the Sermon on the Mount (see Matthew 5:21-30).  There, as well as in chapter 18, Jesus has taught about taking decisive action to "cleanse" ourselves (He likened it to amputation of a diseased body part), in order to save the whole of ourselves (Matthew 18:6-9).  Here in today's reading, Jesus cleanses the temple of those who profit from the people's need for pilgrimage and sacrifice, we presume particularly at the expense of the poor.  Matthew tells us that Jesus overturned the seats of those who sold doves.  Doves were the small sacrifice affordable to the poor.  But we might note that what remains necessary to get at the root of the things that defile temple is simply repentance -- and remind ourselves that from the beginning of the Gospel, John the Baptist comes preaching the same message in preparation for the coming of Christ, and Christ echoes His teaching (Matthew 3:1-2; 4:17).  The same is true of the impulses we take on from the world around ourselves that lead to such outcomes.  In a "fallen" world that abounds with sin, we know about all the passions and desires that come from lusting after wealth, or another person's property, or envy, or myriad other impulses that can lead to what St. Paul calls the "works of the flesh."  These are things that cross the line of sin and trespass.  To guard the heart, then, is to be aware of our own mind and heart and the impulses we nurture and indulge ourselves in, fanning the flame of the desires that lead to such works.  We are meant to be rational sheep, obedient to Christ, but highly aware of ourselves and our capacity for failure, especially our own personal weaknesses.  So the elements of our own cleansing as temples of God may take on forms of repentance or "change of mind" that involve guarding our own thinking and correcting ourselves when necessary, or making more formal amends once the indulgence of such patterns of thought result in bad works, things that ultimately cause harm.  It's easy to be confused in the modern world we inhabit, especially now through the pervasive and ubiquitous influence of social media that works like a worldwide machine to make all kinds of harmful behaviors, and personal attitudes that lead to such behaviors, seem, in fact, "normal."  The need for this ongoing awareness, and work within ourselves and our hearts and minds, actually highlights Christ's later teaching on the power of prayer and faith.  This is because the only way to make our prayer truly effective is through hearts that are pure in the sense that we work at what kind of persons we are, that we develop the kind of discipline that makes our prayer life strong and clear -- so that we may nurture desire in prayer for what Theophylact calls "spiritually profitable" things.  The cleansing and guarding of our hearts and minds therefore is linked to the effectiveness and power of our prayer lives, even to the insights we may gain from prayer.  For, without cultivating the regular practice of such personal spiritual discipline, how to we come to the clarity we want in prayer, to discern the ways God wants us to go forward in life, from the ways that we're called to go by "the flesh" as St. Paul calls it?  That is, the endless desires for all kinds of things cultivated in us by the influence of the world around us, such as the competition for the best car or house, the things we envy that others have, a certain circle of friends or influence or power, for vengeance, for exploitation of others, and so on; the list can go on ad infinitum and extends into the future until the seemingly inexhaustible fantasies and imaginings of the wider web of the internet or any form of public dissemination crowd out the message of the gospel within us.  In this sense, our lives of worship -- whether in the personal and unique temple that each of us are, or in our public forms of worship in Churches -- really depend upon Christ's examples and teachings to us.  To be aware of what we tolerate in one sense or another that we should not, then, becomes essential to the effectiveness of prayer and the quality of our faith.  Let us endeavor to adopt His discipline for ourselves, asking God for guidance and direction, and the wisdom for what we need to let go, as well as the wisdom to know what to pray for and what we truly need. 

However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting

 

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.  However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."

 

 - Matthew 17:14-21 

 

On Saturday we read that, following Peter's confession of faith and Jesus' first warning to the disciples of His Passion to come, after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.  His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.  And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."  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!"  And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.  But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid."  When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.  Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "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."  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."  My study Bible comments that sickness in Scripture is often connected to demonic activity.  As the father here is kneeling down before Christ, he shows humility.  However, he lacks faith.   Although the disciples also lacked faith, Christ rebukes the man for placing the blame on the disciples when it was his greater lack of faith that prevented the boy's healing.  Effectively, Jesus is defending His disciples in front of the crowds, but later rebukes them privately.  My study Bible says that this teaches us that we ought first to correct people in private (see Matthew 18:15-17).  According to St. John Chrysostom, this latter rebuke is actually directed to the nine disciples who could not cast out the demon, for Jesus and "the pillars" of faith (Peter, James, and John -- see Galatians 2:9) were not included in the rebuke, as they had been on the mountain with Christ. 

"However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."  This kind, my study Bible explains, refers to all powers of darkness, and not just those which cause a particular illness.  It notes that the banishment of demons requires faith, prayer, and fasting, as there is no healing and no victory in spiritual warfare without all three.  Beginning with the Didache, patristic commentary has taught that both the person in need of healing and the person who performs the healing must believe, pray, and fast. 

Today's reading opens us up to ask the question, "What is faith, and how does it work?"  Ultimately when we look at the root of the word in the Gospel for faith, we see it is the word that means essentially "trust" in Greek.  To trust in Christ is a powerful testament to faith, to trust in God involves the heart and the deepest parts of who we are.  Trust is also a powerful component of love.  For, if we have ever had the sad experience of a broken relationship, we might find that a betrayal of trust is perhaps the greatest breaker of such bonds of love.  Forgiveness may come to repair that bond when the process of repentance is accepted by both parties, and so trust can be re-established.  Faith, therefore, in this sense involves both trust and love, and includes the power of loyalty derived from both in terms of our own communion with God.  There are many ways in which trust may be broken, and thus our own sense of ourselves within God's communion or the Body of Christ may also be broken through betrayals made in bad faith.  But our depth of rootedness in our Creator goes beyond such earthly betrayals or seeming letdowns.  Faith in God does not simply depend upon the rest of the community of believers alone, but -- as Jesus indicates here -- our own initiative is indispensable to faith.  If that were not so, why would both prayer and fasting be indicated here as effective methods of increasing faith?  We often think of engaging in these historical practices of the Church in terms of responding to faith that is already present -- that is, we might think of following these practices because we have faith.  But what if we were to take Christ's words here as an effective and powerful prescription for increasing our faith?  Then we would perhaps have the right mindset He seeks, that He is encouraging His disciples to engage in these practices in order to maintain and increase good faith, for effective healing in the Church and all that might entail for us.  In the historical mind of the Church, these practices are kept and held, and while many people might feel they are practices only for the very devout or those dedicated monks and nuns in monasteries, it is here offered to us as ways to increase and develop deeper faith.  Aside from this, these practices encourage our discipline as followers of Christ, and moreover they help us to know that we are far more capable than we know in terms of deepening our communion with God.  For those who consider such disciplines extremely difficult, consider the varying degrees to which we might incorporate them more regularly in our lives and our schedules.  A prayer rule should not exceed our patience or our capacity for managing our time.  Fasting is typically practiced in stages during traditional periods like Lent, and may be lessened or expanded in strictness; that is, moving toward a vegan diet in general, but also can be understood as fasting from certain harmful practices it would be better to curb.  There are those who fast from social media, for example, or we may choose to fast from gossip.  In essence, we may come to see Christ's words as not simply for those like the disciples who have honorary positions in the Church, but for all believers who wish to draw more close to Christ, and to experience the greater benefits of faith in our lives, including a deepening sense of self-discipline under Christ's love.  In this way, we might find, in fact, a stronger and deeper sense of self that is given to us in return, strengthening us in our bond of love to Christ, and in which we in turn may take confidence in our lives.  Let us look ahead to that place of deepening faith by following Christ and putting into practice the things He guides us toward, thereby moving more deeply into the place He has for us in His embrace.

Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise

 

 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be a called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'" 

Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.   But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant and said to Him, "Do You hear what these are saying?"  And Jesus said to them, "Yes.  Have you never read, 

    'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants

    You have perfected praise'?"

Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.

Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.  And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again."  Immediately the fig tree withered away.  

 

And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither away so soon?"  So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done.  And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

 

- Matthew 21:12-22 

 

Yesterday we read that when Jesus and the disciples drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her.  Loose them and bring them to Me.  And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them."  All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:   "Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.'"  So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them.  They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them.  And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:  "Hosanna to the Son of David!  'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'  Hosanna in the highest!"  And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?"  So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."

 

  Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be a called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"  We recollect that it is the beginning of Holy Week as we celebrate it; the time is just before the Passover when pilgrims arrived in Jerusalem for the feast.   Those who bought and sold were the ones who traded in live animals used for sacrifices.  The money changers were those who traded Roman coins for Jewish coins.  This was because Roman coins bore the image of Caesar, who was worshiped as a god, and therefore were considered to be defiling in the temple.  My study Bible says that the cleansing of the temple is also indicative of the necessity that the Church be kept free from earthly pursuits.  Moreover, each person is considered a temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19), it's also a sign that our hearts and minds must be cleansed of earthly matters.  Christ quotes from Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11, putting the two prophecies together to castigate what is happening in the temple at this time.

Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.   But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant and said to Him, "Do You hear what these are saying?"  And Jesus said to them, "Yes.  Have you never read,  'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise'?"  Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.  My study Bible quotes from the Vespers of Palm Sunday, "Keep the feast with the children, and holding branches in your hands, sing 'Hosanna."  It notes that many liturgical hymns of this day emphasize the perfect praise of the children, which unlike that of the adults, was innocent, fitting, unashamed, and from hearts of pure love.  So we also are called to glorify Christ in this same spirit (see Matthew 18:1-4).  By contrast, my study Bible says, the adults' praise carried earthly expectations and agendas, which, when left unfulfilled, led them to rebel against Jesus just five days later (Matthew 27:20-23).

Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.  And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again."  Immediately the fig tree withered away.  The fig tree is described by my study Bible as a symbol of prosperity and peace, and it withers because it is fruitless.  This is a prophetic act, it says, directed toward those among both the leaders and the crowds who, after three years of Christ's preaching, teaching, and healing, are destitute of spiritual fruit.  Jesus curses the tree also as a warning to those in each generation of what will befall anyone who fails to listen and take His message to heart.

And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither away so soon?"  So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done.  And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."  We don't have any recorded stories of an apostle literally moving a mountain, but patristic commentary is clear that they had this authority if the need had arisen, says my study Bible.  (There are stories of certain saints who made crevices appear in mountains.)  Moreover, my study Bible notes, not everything accomplished by the apostles was written down.  But in addition to its literal meaning, this is a promise given as an illustration of the power of faith and prayer in all areas of life.  My study Bible quotes Theophylact, who writes, "Whatever we ask, without hesitation and believing in God's power, we shall receive" when we ask for things which are spiritually profitable.

 

I'm intrigued by the note in my study Bible regarding the rejection of Christ by the adults in contrast to the children (rejection both among the leadership and the common people).  It says that the adults' praise carried earthly expectations and agendas, which, when left unfulfilled, led them to rebel against Jesus just five days later.  This is because, at Christ's time, the expectation was that the Messiah would be an earthly ruler, delivering them from Roman rule, and re-establishing the throne of David.   But this sense of expectation, and the rejection based on the unfulfillment of such expectation, remains ever with us, and so is also a problem today.  We can see this for ourselves in modern day criticisms not simply of the Church, but for Christianity itself.  We can see distortions and misreading of Biblical texts used as an excuse for rejection, as if to say that Scripture is merely meant to be taken literally, and if it can't, then it must simply be rejected.  Sometimes popular heresies turn out to be just that, and so establish a broken expectation then used as an excuse for rejection.  We can see such rejection on the basis of an assumption that every wish must be granted, or that there is evil that exists in the world, and pain and suffering all the time.  But most of all these objections come from a sense of unrealistic and unpromised expectations that aren't based on faith in the first place.  Many popular assumptions run contrary to long-established Church tradition.  There is an assumption at work that those who were founders of the Church -- those early disciples and apostles and Church Fathers and faithful martyrs and saints from all manner of walks of life and cultures -- were simply superstitious, or perhaps not educated, or simplistic as they did not come from an age with the kinds of technological and scientific advances that we do now.  But this is again a rejection based on unrealistic assumptions and expectations.  The early Fathers of the Church were the best educated of their time, a time when the full flower of Hellenistic civilization was readily at hand and expected to be known by any such educated person, be that culture such as the literature of Homer, Euripides, and Sophocles or all the ancient philosophers such as Plato and Socrates, as well as science, medicine, mathematics, history, and the beauty of art and architecture which remains astonishing and sophisticated to us today.  The unrealistic expectations of moderns includes assumptions about ancient peoples and their lives which not only miss the mark in terms of knowledge, but even in terms of a pragmatic approach to what they must have known and not known, and how they lived their lives.   So often one hears unrealistic criticisms of a faith structured upon the care, understanding, and insight of centuries of brilliant thinkers by those who have not bothered to cultivate the least knowledge about them.  As such, we might fault the adults in this picture for being more childish than the children.  For children, with their more open minds, may be far more able to grasp what faith is about, what God is like, and how faith is offered to us, than adults who have limited their understanding to their own expectations.  But God does not come to us to fulfill our expectations -- and definitions -- of God.  God comes to us to lead us somewhere, to teach us something, and that "something" comes to us on a long -- even lifelong -- journey of discovery.  To come to know Christ, to come to know God, is a question of opening one's mind and heart so that it may be expanded, transformed, and given a shape that does not start merely with us and our desires or expectations.  It doesn't come from popular culture.  It really doesn't matter what we think we know from others, or our expectations and upbringing.  What matters is the approach, the understanding that there is a gift held before us, but that gift must be accepted, opened, and adjusted to as it leads us and informs us -- and not the other way around.  It's a question of the proper understanding of and approach to grace.  This is why we're told that one must be converted and become as little children in order to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:3).   This is an allusion to the open minds of children, that remarkable ability to absorb information in ways that seem extraordinary to adults, such as picking up a language by ear, or even using modern technology such as computer games or mobile software applications.  This is how we should be approaching God and approaching Scripture, and not as if it is meant to meet our own expectations or simply to fail, to be rejected.  Such an approach is actually immature and uninformed, especially when there is a treasure stored within the long history of the Church of understanding, insight, and depth of knowledge.  Let us consider the Lord's extended hand to us, and with what level of sophistication we respond to the grace in that offer.  So Christ says, in the words of the Psalmist, "Out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise."

And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses

 

 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry.  And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it.  When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.  In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again."  And His disciples heard it.

So they came to Jerusalem.  Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple.  Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'?  But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"  And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching.  When evening had come, He went out of the city.  

Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.  And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look!  The fig tree which You cursed has withered away."  So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.  Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.  And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.  But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."

 

- Mark 11:12-26 

 

Yesterday we read that when Jesus and the disciples drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples; and He said to them, "Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat.  Loose it and bring it.  And if anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord has need of it,' and immediately he will send it here."  So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it.  But some of those who stood there said to them, "What are you doing, loosing the colt?"  And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded.  So they let them go.  Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it.  And many spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna!  'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple.  So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve. 

 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry.  And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it.  When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.  In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again."  And His disciples heard it.  My study Bible says that it was not the season for figs means that this fig tree had sprouted an early full foliage of leaves, which would indicate a first crop of fruit, but the tree had not borne fruit.  (Just to note, fig trees do not bear flowers; the figs themselves are actually its flowers.)  Jesus finds not even one fig on this tree, and condemns it.  This is a symbolic and prophetic act.  In Scripture, a fig tree is often a symbol of Israel (see Hosea 9:10).  In literary tradition across the Middle East, the fig is known as a symbol of sweetness and richness.  But here, the tree's fruitfulness has ceased -- symbolic of spiritual wealth; and so, my study Bible notes, the Kingdom will be taken from her and given to another people, who are called to bear spiritual fruit (see Matthew 21:43; Galatians 5:22-23).

 

So they came to Jerusalem.  Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple.  Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'?  But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"  And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching.  When evening had come, He went out of the city.   Those who bought and sold in the temple were trading in live animals to be used for sacrifices.  The money changers would trade Roman coins for Jewish coins.  Roman coins bore the image of Caesar, and so were considered to be defiling in the temple.  My study Bible notes that the cleansing of the temple also points to the necessity that the Church be kept free from earthly pursuits.  As each person is considered a temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19), it is also a sign that our hearts and minds must be cleansed of earthly matters.  That is, our first orientation in how we live our lives is toward God (Matthew 6:33).

Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.  And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look!  The fig tree which You cursed has withered away."  My study Bible comments that this cursing and withering of the fig tree is a prophetic act which signifies the judgment of Israel.  It says that the disciples need to learn that the old covenant with Israel is becoming "obsolete" and will "vanish away" (Hebrews 8:13).  They will establish His Church, ultimately to be filled

with Gentiles and Jews, and they need assurance that they are following Christ's will.  The fig tree will be an indelible image in their minds.  

So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.  Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.  And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses."  My study Bible comments that while it is not recorded that an apostle literally moved a mountain, the patristic teaching is clear that they had this authority if the need had arisen (certain saints did make crevices appear in mountains).  Moreover, not everything the apostles accomplished was written down.  Beyond its literal meaning, this promise is also an illustration of the power of faith and prayer in all areas of life.  According to Theophan, "Whatever we ask, without hesitation and believing God's power, we shall receive" when we ask for spiritually profitable things.

"But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."  My study Bible comments that Jesus insists on mutual forgiveness between people as a precondition of God's forgiveness.  It says that those who do not forgive are not forgiven -- period.  This teaching is repeated in the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:21-35) which concludes with the same teaching.  To not forgive others is to willfully flee from the forgiveness of God for ourselves.  See also the Lord's Prayer, Matthew 6:12, 14-15; Luke 11:4.

Forgiveness can be a tricky subject.  We have to ask ourselves, has Jesus forgiven the people He just criticized on no uncertain terms in the temple?  That is, has He already forgiven the ones He says are making God's house "a den of thieves?"  We might be tempted to ask such questions, as there are so many things happening in today's reading.  Jesus speaks of judgment -- in fact the judgment of a nation -- in the symbolism of the withered fig tree.  Where are the spiritual fruits from three years of Christ's ministry in Israel?  Where is the repentance?  Do the leadership listen to Him or simply reject Him?   Where does judgment come into the teachings on forgiveness?   If these issues seem confusing, it is because they not only overlay different levels of experience, but they also call for discernment.  In terms of the condemnation and judgment in the symbolic withering of the fig tree, "forgiveness" does not deny the reality of spiritual failure, the failure to draw spiritual fruit from an extraordinary visitation and manifestation of God in Christ's ministry and His very Incarnation.  But on the other hand, forgiveness is always present for those who reconsider and repent, for those who will heed Christ's words.  Whatever the failure of the nation in terms of its leadership or what will be coming for Christ in terms of rejection by the nation at His trial before Pilate, Christ's forgiveness is always present for those who will come to Him.  We mustn't forget that the early Christians were considered a subset of Judaism, the first Church in Jerusalem consisting entirely of Jews.  So Christ's judgment means something significant, but it does not preclude the concept of forgiveness.  And there we must come to a conclusion about forgiveness:  it is we who must come to realize what that forgiveness means.  Jesus lays it out very clearly that in order to realize our own forgiveness, we must also practice forgiveness.  In Greek the word translated as the verb "to forgive" means to let go, or send away.  It is the same word used with the analogy of debt in the Lord's Prayer, when Jesus teaches us to pray, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" (Matthew 6:12).  To "let go" implies a concrete action, not simply a thought or concept.  To "let go" means that we eschew any sense of retribution.  Moreover, we "let go" of something to send it somewhere.  To whom do we "let go" of a trespass someone has done to us, or debt we think is owed, or a sin committed against ourselves?  It would seem clear that the answer to this question is God, or Christ.  Jesus' word on forgiveness comes in a teaching on what we're to do while we stand praying.  We are to turn to God for judgment, and for guidance in how to respond to the harm done to us, the sin committed against us.  This is the clear end for all things:  the judgment of God, and the discernment that comes from faith. When we forgive, in this model, we are not making excuses nor are we acting as if nothing has ever happened.  We are not in denial about people who may cause us harm or wish us ill.  But we do turn all things to God, and we seek Christ's light for walking through our lives.  It is His agenda we seek to serve, and not a plan of vengeance or retribution of our own (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19; Hebrews 10:30).  The justice and righteousness that we seek are in God's hands, just as is the judgment Jesus pronounces upon those who've failed to heed His mission in the world, who've failed to produce the spiritual fruits meant to be made possible through God's love.  We turn to that love in our lives to show us the way, for this is how we find our own forgiveness and our own future.  If we think about it, forgiveness is a parallel to the Cross and Resurrection, for forgiveness allows us to move on and also to begin a new start if we follow the path of Christ.  We may be hurting from the things of the past, but forgiveness allows us to exchange that hurt for the way that Christ shows us to move forward and renew our lives.  It is a different form of repentance, in which we address not our own sins, but those done to us.  It teaches us to stay stuck in neither, but to look to an unknown future.  Like the Cross and Resurrection, and the Old and New Covenants, like so much of Christ's ministry, forgiveness is yet another way of transformation, of transfiguring energy and even mystery.  Let us consider His powerful teaching, and the new ways it opens up for our lives, that we may better follow His light.

 

 

Have you never read, "Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise"?

 

 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"  Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.  

 

But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant and said to Him, "Do You hear what these are saying?"  And Jesus said to them, "Yes.  Have you never read,

'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants

You have perfected praise'?"  

Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.

Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.  And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again."  Immediately the fig tree withered away.

And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither away so soon?"  So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done.  And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

 

- Matthew 21:12-22 

 

Yesterday we read that when Jesus and the disciples drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her.  Loose them and bring them to Me.  And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them."  All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:  "Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.'"  So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them.  They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them.  And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:  "Hosanna to the Son of David!  'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'  Hosanna in the highest!"  And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?"  So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."

 

Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"  Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.   Those who bought and sold in the temple were trading in live animals which would be used in the Passover sacrifices.  The money changers were trading Roman coins for Jewish coins.  It was considered that Roman coins, which bore the image of Caesar, were defiling in the temple.  Jesus quotes from Isaiah 56:7, Jeremiah 7:11.   According to my study Bible, the cleansing of the temple also points to the necessity that the Church be kept free from earthly pursuits.  As each person is considered to be a temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19), it is also a sign that our hearts and minds must be cleansed of earthly matters.

But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant and said to Him, "Do You hear what these are saying?"  And Jesus said to them, "Yes.  Have you never read, 'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise'?"  Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.  Psalm 8:3 of the Septuagint declares, "From the mouths of babies and nursing infants You prepared praise because of Your enemies, that You may destroy the enemy and avenger."  (When we read quotations in the New Testament, it is the Septuagint being quoted; in most versions of the New Testament this is from Psalm 8:2.)  In the Palm Sunday Vespers of the Orthodox Church, it is declared, "Keep the feast with the children, and holding branches in your hands, sing 'Hosanna'."  My study Bible comments that many liturgical hymns of this day emphasize the perfect praise of the children, which unlike that of the adults, was innocent, fitting, unashamed, and from hearts of pure love.  So we are called to glorify Christ in the same spirit (see Matthew 18:1-4).  In contrast, my study Bible notes, the adults' praise carried earthly expectations and agendas which, when left unfulfilled, led them to rebel against Jesus just five days later (Matthew 27:20-23). 

 Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.  And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again."  Immediately the fig tree withered away.  My study Bible notes that the fig tree is a symbol of prosperity and peace.  In this case, it withers because it is fruitless.  This is a prophetic act by Jesus, directed toward those who reject Him, since after three years of Christ's preaching, teaching, and healing, both the leaders and the crowds were destitute of spiritual fruit.  He curses the tree also to warn those in every generation of what will befall anyone who fails to listen to His message. 

And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither away so soon?"  So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done.  And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."  My study Bible comments that while it is not recorded that an apostle literally moved a mountain, in Patristic tradition it is clear that they had this authority if the need had arisen (there were certain saints who made crevices appear in mountains).  Moreover, not everything accomplished by the apostles has written down.  Beyond the literal meaning, however, this promise is also an illustration of the power of faith and prayer in all areas of our lives.  Theophan writes, "Whatever we ask, without hesitation and believing in God's power, we shall receive" when we ask for things which are spiritually profitable.

Today's reading, taken altogether, seems to emphasize the power of God as it works in our lives.  There are things God would teach us to do, and how to live, and we have the choice to seek out this will, the way of God, or to pay lip service to that will, and do otherwise.  There are varying degrees to which a person is aware of the things of God and rejects them outright.  There is also the soul within which we have the capacity to be receptive to these things.  So often, Jesus' repeated iteration is of the words of Isaiah:  "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."  These words are directly connected to healing in the prophecy of Isaiah from which Jesus draws.   Isaiah is told, "Go, and tell this people, 'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.'   Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return and be healed" (Isaiah 6:9-10).  These words are also found echoed by the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel, and in the Epistles of St. Paul (Jeremiah 5:21, Ezekiel 12:2, Acts 28:27, Romans 11:8).  In Christ's cleansing of the temple, He's taking decisive action against practices which seem to violate the commands and intent of God for this house of worship and prayer, which He says has been made into a "den of thieves."  Earlier Jesus has already quoted from Isaiah regarding the religious leadership:  "Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men" (see Isaiah 29:13, Matthew 15:8).  The withering of the fig tree illustrates a principle regarding spiritual fruitlessness, the result of dullness of hearing and seeing in a spiritual sense, a lack of perception of spiritual matters, and specifically in the teachings that He has offered through the course of His mission and ministry.  It is an illustration of the power of God in the sense that to understand this importance and yet to continue to ignore and abuse such a gift through one's own life is to court the results of fruitlessness and whatever that means in our own lives.  Whether we realize it or not, the fruits of faith are borne out not simply in forms of piousness but also of creativity and ingenuity in many ways; to truly study history with a sense of insight into the origins of principles of law such as mercy and rehabilitation, or the development of forms of beauty in architecture and art which seek to elevate our sight to the origins of beauty, truth, and goodness, owe a great deal to Christ and His ministry.  People may decisively seek to scorn such ideas, but there can be no rational doubt of the impact on the world of the story of the Crucifixion of this most innocent Man and His goodness and love and giving of Himself.  Finally, we come to Christ's discussion of faith with the disciples, in which He chooses to emphasize what faith can do in a positive sense.  Surely we are meant to understand that the faith Jesus has preached all along isn't a kind of magic in which we are capable of selfishly manifesting anything we desire through prayer, but rather the result of the pursuit of the will of God, the process of repentance as growth which is always continuing in that life of discipleship, and the growing dependency upon and trust in God along the way of this process.  It is in this way that prayer becomes truly effective, because it is honed and aligned within the will of God for us, and the result of a prayerfully lived life in this pursuit of God's love and desire for God.  Surely what we are to take from today's reading in the contrast between the fruitless materialism couched in hypocrisy that Jesus criticizes, the symbolic withering of the promises in the fig tree, and Jesus' words about faith and prayer is simply the power of God and our own alignment with that power through a prayerful life of serious discipleship.  This power is always present and on offer to us:  we may ignore it all we wish, but we risk the consequences of spiritual fruitlessness, emptiness, and a materialist life devoid of the meaning that God would give to our lives lived in this world.  This touches ironically on the very meaning of sacrifice and sacrament:  that we live in a world given to us by God as are our very lives, but in the practice of faith we give that world back to God so that God may teach us how to live prayerfully in communion within our world as good stewards.  This is not about rationalizing what we do, but sincerely seeking God's will in developing a prayerful life where spiritual eyes and ears are opened -- or at the very least, we have that aim in our hearts and are willing to open ourselves to where it would guide us.  Without this, even the must beautiful services and practices, those enshrined in religious literature, will lose their meaning in hearts that have grown dull or calloused, where the truth of our inner being is hidden and does not wrestle with God (Genesis 32:22-32), or against the spiritual darkness we don't wish to perceive or acknowledge (Ephesians 6:12).  On this eve of Christ's final week of earthly life, He lays bare the questions that are posed to us all, which we will each answer in our way, and which will have a lasting effect according to the choices made in this week by the religious leadership.  There will be times in our lives when we are called to make such choices and decisions; let us pray that we are aware of the stakes, and that we prefer the fruits of the Spirit to all else.  Sometimes when we seek to gain, we lose what is most precious (Matthew 16:26), in the long game of history and of our lives.   The children shout "Hosannah" because their hearts are flooded with joy in the encounter with Jesus.  Let our hearts remain open to that joy and find it in our own prayerful encounters with Him, and endure in it, even in the midst of the world.

 

This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting

 

 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.  However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."

 

- Matthew 17:14-21 

 

Yesterday we read that after six days (on the seventh day after the events of Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ, and Jesus' revelation of His Passion to come), Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.  His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.  And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles; one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."  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!"  And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.  But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid."  When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.  Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "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."   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.   My study Bible comments that sickness in Scripture is frequently connected to demonic activity.  This father shows humility to Christ, as he is kneeling down while making his request, but he lacks faith.  The disciples also lacked faith, but my study Bible explains that Christ rebukes the man for placing the blame on the disciples when it was his greater lack of faith that prevented the boy's healing.  In effect, in the fullness of today's reading, Jesus defends His disciples in front of the multitudes but He later rebukes them privately (in the verses to follow).  This teaches us that we ought to first correct people in private (see Matthew 18:15-17).  

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.  However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."  My study Bible notes that St. John Chrysostom explains that this remark is directed at the nine disciples who could not cast out the demon.  We should understand that Christ has just come from the Mount of the Transfiguration with "the pillars" of faith among the disciples -- Peter, James, and John (Galatians 2:9).  These three were not included in the rebuke, as they had been on the mountain with Christ.  This kind, my study Bible comments, is a reference to all powers of darkness, and not only those that cause a particular illness.  The banishment of demons requires faith, prayer, and fasting, for there is no healing and no victory in spiritual warfare without all three.  Beginning with the Didache (the earliest teaching document of the Church), our earliest teachers have said that both the person in need of healing and the person performing the healing must believe, prayer, and fast.  Regarding moving a mountain, my study Bible cites Theophan, who says, "Whatever we ask, without hesitation and believing in God's power, we shall receive" when we ask for spiritually profitable things.

It's quite interesting that Jesus first tells the apostles that "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."  But then He immediately adds,  "However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."  So it's seemingly as if He's first affirming that even with a tiny bit of faith, one can move a mountain with a command, but then He asserts that this particular kind of evil or demonic activity cannot be banished except through prayer and fasting.  We're tempted to take the first statement at face value and possibly blame all imperfections or afflictions in our lives on a lack of faith -- but then Christ clarifies that faith actually consists of much more than we might think it does.  Clearly, to incorporate the fullness of faith in one's life also means that we live a certain kind of life, we live our faith and do not merely "think" it or believe it.  And, He specifically gives us two faith practices here (and no doubt there are any number of things that we do if we live our faith), those of prayer and fasting.  So the power of faith is not merely invested in what we believe or feel or think; the power of faith is completely bound up with what we do, how we live that faith, and how we engage life with our faith.  If we look at these specific things Jesus talks about, we can examine at least a couple of elements regarding what we do to live that faith, to put it into action and make it a part of the fabric of our lives.  In prayer, we seek a dialogue with God.  There are all kinds of prayers and many ways of praying.  Jesus does not specify what prayers to pray, He doesn't give specific kinds of instructions in that sense.  This is not a manual on how to do something, but rather an affirmation of the capacity for living faith and that living that faith is indeed powerful and effective.  We have prayers given to us though the tradition of the Church, a "model" prayer given to us by Christ (Matthew 9:6-13), we have the Psalms which stretch Old Testament tradition unbroken through today in our Churches and in personal lay and monastic practice.  There are many different types of prayer practices; in some cases even silence is an effective prayer, where there is a fullness to the silence of the presence of God.  Fasting also takes on many forms.  We don't simply fast from certain "lavish" foods for a period of time, but also from practices that are harmful, bad for the soul.  We also fast from things like engaging in or spreading gossip, passing needless hurtful or harmful words, swearing, overstating things when less will suffice.  We fast within ourselves from things like envy and malice, covetousness, hostility.  There are all kinds of ways we might practice such discipline in the service of our faith and in actively expressing our faith through our lives and the things we choose to do or not do, including the internal discipline of awareness.  Let us note in particular that each of these things under discussion on the topics of prayer and fasting involve activity and choice; most specifically we are asked to make our faith a part of the fabric of life in this world as it is lived.  In this way, we manifest our faith.  We are doing something to make our faith a part of life in the world, not just a theory or a belief system or an ideology, but something that is lived through all the elements that constitute this world.  When we do things like this, we are dedicating our lives to God, rooting God and the Kingdom into our lives, weaving our faith into the very fabric of the lives we lead here in this world.  What seems to be potent and yet somehow hidden to us in Christ's words is the notion of sacrifice and how it works:  that when we choose sacrifice for the sake of our faith and in service to it, we are making a very powerful exchange and investment in bringing something into our world; that is, the things of God and God's presence.  We give our time and effort to prayer; we practice a discipline that refrains from something, we curb our own appetite for envy or backbiting or a myriad of things that cause unnecessary strife -- all of these are sacrifices made in order to bring God into the world by living our faith.  Of course, the one key sacrifice of our text, and the gospel story, is the sacrifice Christ will make on the Cross.  It is one sacrifice for all time, and so powerful that it suffices for the salvation of everything and for all.  However, we participate in that life, in His Passion, and in His sacrifice by living our own lives of faith, in all the ways that we have available to make choices to live it, such as with prayer and fasting.  When we manifest our faith, we live "incarnational" lives in imitation of Christ the Son who became incarnate Man.   In this way, we can be "like Christ," and help to anchor the Kingdom into this world, making it a part of our very lives in whatever ways we can.  Let us consider the power of sacrifice, of small ways of entering into His Passion, and the power of Resurrection that is at work in our choice and participation in His life and faith.

 

 

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

 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.  However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."

- Matthew 17:14-21

On Saturday we read that after six days (after Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ, and Jesus' first warning about His crucifixion, death, and Resurrection) Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.  His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.  And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."  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!"  And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.  But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid."  When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.  Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "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."   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.   My study bible reminds us that in Scripture sickness is often connected to demonic activity.  This father shows humility by kneeling before Christ, but what he lacks is faith.  The verses further down give us the indication that the disciples also lacked faith.  But here in public, Jesus rebukes the man for putting the blame on the disciples when it was his greater lack of faith that prevented the boy's healing.   As my study bible notes, Jesus effectively defends His disciples in front of the multitudes but later rebukes them privately.  It teaches us that we should first correct people in private.  Jesus' love prevents Him from humiliating His disciples before the crowd, but they receive the truth from Him in private.

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.  However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."  According to St. John Chrysostom, Jesus' rebuke here is directed to the nine disciples who could not cast out the demon.  The "pillars" of faith -- Peter, James, and John (Galatians 2:9) -- were not included, as they had been on the mountain with Christ (see Saturday's reading, above).  This kind, my study bible tells us, refers to all powers of darkness, and not only those that cause a particular illness.  The banishment of demons, it says, requires faith, prayer, and fasting.  There is no healing nor victory in spiritual warfare without all three.  Starting with the earliest teaching document of the Church, the Didache, it has been taught that both the person in need of healing and the person performing the healing must believe, pray, and fast.  The emphasis on faith here is doubled, as Jesus repeats metaphors He uses elsewhere:  the mustard seed and moving a mountain.

With growing awareness both of Jesus' divinity (especially through the experience of the Transfiguration, see Saturday's reading) and also of the suffering, crucifixion, death, and Resurrection to come, Jesus places an ever-greater emphasis on faith as the true foundation or rock of His Church.  The repetition of metaphors in the text (faith as a mustard seed and faith that moves a mountain) gives us a sense of something so crucial that it was echoed throughout His ministry.  This repetition bears noting, because it's not often that we hear Jesus repeating Himself in the texts of individual Gospels.  It teaches us, to my way of thinking, that the crucial aspect of faith is something so substantial and important that we must never lose sight of it.  It's what He wants to leave us with as we await His return.  It's what we have as bearers of His word, His truth, and His work in us, and it connects us to His very presence in our lives.  It is indeed the rock upon which He would build His Church, the way in which we worship, the strength against which the gates of Hades cannot prevail (16:18).  In this perspective, activities such as prayer and fasting become essential not simply as practice for the sake of belonging or tradition, but rather for the power they have to shore up our faith, to protect us within that bond of faith, and to give us strength within that faith.  These are not concepts nor practices simply designed to put us in line or to give us things to do that reflect identity in Christ.  They are practices that help us to maintain the strength and power and inclusion that we need via faith.  They include us in the bond of the rock of faith, so that we remain in His protection in that faith, and find our way through the difficulties we encounter -- including temptations and all the things of the world that will serve to draw us away from the path to which He calls us (7:13-14).  Particularly in times of uncertainty and fear, these practices help not simply to shore up faith, but to help us when faith is difficult or when we are confused.  Prayer is an act of communion with God.  Fasting is a kind of declaration that it is God we serve above all, and that we exchange our attachments in the world in order to find a deeper and truer communion with God.  We can fast in so many ways; abstinence in whatever form necessary is a way of fasting -- for example, from swearing, from habits of anger or whatever it is that takes us away from our peace which is centered in Christ.  Let us note as well the deeply personal and even private nature of these practices.  While each is appropriate in the context of community worship, each also has an aspect of the personal.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us to go into our inner room and shut the door, and pray to our Father who sees in secret (6:6).  Sometimes we need to close the door to all the noise, and focus in on what is essential.  Prayer and fasting help us do that.   Consider the importance of faith, and that we need to all that we can to help ourselves to be centered in our connection and communion with Christ, so that we may come to ourselves when we're not sure where we're going.