The next day, when Jesus, Peter, John, and James had come down from the mountain, a large crowd met Jesus. A man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to take a look at my son, my only child. Look, a spirit seizes him and, without any warning, he screams. It shakes him and causes him to foam at the mouth. It tortures him and rarely leaves him alone. I begged your disciples to throw it out, but they couldn’t.” Jesus answered, “You faithless and crooked generation, how long will I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.” While he was coming, the demon threw him down and shook him violently. Jesus spoke harshly to the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father. Everyone was overwhelmed by God’s greatness.
Reflection
The day after Jesus and his disciples came down from the Mountain of Transfiguration, they are confronted by a man who is desperately seeking healing for his son who was suffering greatly. The disciples tried, but they failed to cast out the demon. And in this moment of raw honesty, the man begs Jesus to intervene.
I am always struck when I read this passage that there is a striking contrast here between the disciples’ mountaintop experience, and the real suffering they are immediately met with in the valley below. There is a tension here, reminding us that our spiritual highs or moments of personal faith aren’t enough – we must be willing to carry Christ’s presence into a hurting world.
Many of us have had an experience we might call “spiritual,” a moment when we felt closer to God, or found hope that was deeply needed. We practice our faith in personal ways, like coming to church on Sunday or regular morning prayer. These are important experiences that help us practice our faith and stay connected to God. And yet, they are only one dimension, and they aren’t simply meant for us. Ultimately, they should be the thing that launches us toward noticing and loving our neighbors in the valleys of life.
And yet, I am also always struck in this passage by the idea that the disciples did try to help – and they failed. The implication of the passage was that they tried to do it by their own power. Their faith was too small. As people of faith, how often are we confronted by situations that seem out of our control – broken relationships, a chaotic news cycle, chronic suffering – and maybe like the disciples, we try to help, but we fail, grow discouraged, and eventually we give up? Or perhaps we give up before we ever start because we already know what we’ve got is no match for the situation at hand. We often forget that we didn’t get to the mountain top on our own. And so, it will not be by our own power that we are able to love others in the valleys of life. The call of this passage is simply and powerful. In the moments when we reach the limits of our faith and our ability, we are called to bring it to Jesus. This story reveals that when human efforts fail (and they usually will), divine power will step in. Jesus never turns away those who come to Him in faith (even if he did get a little testy at times). And it is only by the power of Jesus that we can live out a life of faith that transforms the world around us for good.
by Rev. Kate Monahan
For Pondering and Prayer
Is there a situation you’ve been trying to fix, understand, or get under control with little success? Are you frustrated by something or someone that you just want to give up on? Have you brought it to God in prayer, and listened for God’s response?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You with all that I cannot fix, cannot understand, and cannot control. Like the father in this story, I cry out — not because my faith is perfect, but because I know You are my only hope. Heal what is broken, speak peace where there is chaos, and strengthen my trust in You. Thank You that when others fail, You are always faithful. Amen.
