Join Msgr. Don Fischer as he reads and delivers a short reflection on today’s gospel, followed by 3 1/2 minutes of contemplative music and a closing prayer. Msgr. Don hopes that today’s reflection on the gospel will empower you to carry the Word in your heart throughout the day.

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Gospel
Mark 9:14-29

As Jesus came down from the mountain with Peter, James, John
and approached the other disciples,
they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them.
Immediately on seeing him,
the whole crowd was utterly amazed.
They ran up to him and greeted him.
He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?”
Someone from the crowd answered him,
“Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit.
Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down;
he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid.
I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so.”
He said to them in reply,
“O faithless generation, how long will I be with you?
How long will I endure you? Bring him to me.”
They brought the boy to him.
And when he saw him,
the spirit immediately threw the boy into convulsions.
As he fell to the ground, he began to roll around   
and foam at the mouth.
Then he questioned his father,
“How long has this been happening to him?”
He replied, “Since childhood.
It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him.
But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
Jesus said to him,
“‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.”
Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!”
Jesus, on seeing a crowd rapidly gathering,
rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it,
“Mute and deaf spirit, I command you:
come out of him and never enter him again!”
Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out.
He became like a corpse, which caused many to say, “He is dead!”
But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up.
When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private,
“Why could we not drive the spirit out?”
He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer.”

Reflection

Jesus came into the world to destroy the power of evil. And it’s clear to us that when we see the power of evil infecting, being a part of someone like a child, and we see the destructive nature of evil, we are reminded of how dangerous evil can be to us. And what Jesus is saying here is so clear. If you think that you are vulnerable to evil, which is true, but you must also at the same time believe that I have power over evil, and I will protect you.

I will heal you. I will free you. Nothing is more important than believing that evil has no real power to destroy us. That's a promise from God earned by his death on the cross. And for us to doubt it, we put ourselves in a very vulnerable place. Without trust in God, evil does have power over us.

Closing Prayer

Father, fear is a real problem for all of us. It robs us of peace. And to fear that things are going wrong, and everything is bad, or that the evil is taking over, is a dangerous place to be. There is no reason for us to fear evil because of the love of God poured into us, healing us, transforming us, and bringing us into a kingdom of peace. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.