Today after the morning Eucharistic Celebration at Church of St Michael’s; my wife, daughter and I were having breakfast at ‘Angel’s Corner’
The yummy breakfast of the day was cous cous sautéed in butter. We were seated at a table with four seats. One lady from the breakfast team showed an elderly lady to our table and offered to get her a plate and coffee. While we were eating, I introduced myself and she told me her name was Irene. She lived within walking distance and was thankful for that because her eyesight was failing her and she was not confident to travel farther than what she has to, to reach church.
After breakfast I offered to pray for her and asked if she had any prayer request. She asked for prayers for her eyesight and prayers for her husband who had failing kidneys and was in great pain lying in bed at home. I told her that I would pray for her first then later fur Richard her husband. I asked if I could place my hand on her shoulder as I prayed she agreed.
After I prayed, I asked if there was any improvement? She quickly replied, “Not so fast one ah! And smiled” I asked if she felt anything? She said it got very warm when I prayed for her. I told her that I sensed the Lord had great love fire her and healing has already begun. She should test it out when she got home. I then started praying for Richard. After the she was saying that she was so thankful to have met me. I told her to thank Jesus instead for creating this opportunity.
Are we praying for others with wisdom and power from on high? If not, then why not?
For are not children of God our Father so loved by Him, that through Jesus His Son we have been empowered to heal the sick, cast our demons and such? Are we still not able to connect fully to the Lord our God in His presence through our prayer? How then will we be able to set the boy from today’s Gospel free?
What is prayer put into action? Jesus tells us in Jn 5:19 “The Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”
Lord Jesus let me see Your good works, and let me work them as well in Your most precious name. Amen
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First reading
Ecclesiasticus 1:1-10 ·
Before all other things, wisdom was created
All wisdom is from the Lord,
and it is his own for ever.
The sand of the sea and the raindrops,
and the days of eternity, who can assess them?
The height of the sky and the breadth of the earth,
and the depth of the abyss, who can probe them?
Before all other things wisdom was created,
shrewd understanding is everlasting.
For whom has the root of wisdom ever been uncovered?
Her resourceful ways, who knows them?
One only is wise, terrible indeed,
seated on his throne, the Lord.
He himself has created her, looked on her and assessed her,
and poured her out on all his works
to be with all mankind as his gift,
and he conveyed her to those who love him.
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Gospel
Mark 9:14-29
Help the little faith I have!
When Jesus, with Peter, James and John came down from the mountain and rejoined the disciples, they saw a large crowd round them and some scribes arguing with them. The moment they saw him the whole crowd were struck with amazement and ran to greet him. ‘What are you arguing about with them?’ he asked. A man answered him from the crowd, ‘Master, I have brought my son to you; there is a spirit of dumbness in him, and when it takes hold of him it throws him to the ground, and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and goes rigid. And I asked your disciples to cast it out and they were unable to.’ ‘You faithless generation’ he said to them in reply. ‘How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.’ They brought the boy to him, and as soon as the spirit saw Jesus it threw the boy into convulsions, and he fell to the ground and lay writhing there, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’ ‘From childhood,’ he replied ‘and it has often thrown him into the fire and into the water, in order to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.’ ‘If you can?’ retorted Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for anyone who has faith.’ Immediately the father of the boy cried out, ‘I do have faith. Help the little faith I have!’ And when Jesus saw how many people were pressing round him, he rebuked the unclean spirit. ‘Deaf and dumb spirit,’ he said ‘I command you: come out of him and never enter him again.’ Then throwing the boy into violent convulsions it came out shouting, and the boy lay there so like a corpse that most of them said, ‘He is dead.’ But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him up, and he was able to stand. When he had gone indoors his disciples asked him privately, ‘Why were we unable to cast it out?’ ‘This is the kind’ he answered ‘that can only be driven out by prayer.’
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