MONDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Mark 9:14-29) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“O faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you?” (Mk 9:19)

FIRST READING - Sirach 1:1-10

A reading from the Book of Sirach

All wisdom comes from the LORD

and with him it remains forever, and is before all time

The sand of the seashore, the drops of rain,

the days of eternity: who can number these?

Heaven's height, earth's breadth,

the depths of the abyss: who can explore these?

Before all things else wisdom was created;

and prudent understanding, from eternity.

The word of God on high is the fountain of wisdom

and her ways are everlasting.

To whom has wisdom's root been revealed?

Who knows her subtleties?

To whom has the discipline of wisdom been revealed?

And who has understood the multiplicity of her ways?

There is but one, wise and truly awe-inspiring,

seated upon his throne:

There is but one, Most High

all-powerful creator-king and truly awe-inspiring one,

seated upon his throne and he is the God of dominion.

It is the LORD; he created her through the Holy Spirit,

has seen her and taken note of her.

He has poured her forth upon all his works,

upon every living thing according to his bounty;

he has lavished her upon his friends.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY -Mark 9:14-29

From the Gospel according to Mark

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.”

MONDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Mark 9:14-29)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

The Word of God today, God the Father, teaches all His children what to do when following God the Father.

First of all, we must have faith. Whoever has faith, even as small as a mustard seed, will be given immense strength by Him. He said: '"If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you."'

Today's Word of God tells us that human faith in God must always come first. Without faith, we cannot have the strength and power of God the Father. Why must we have faith? Because God is all-powerful, absolutely omnipotent.

He is both visible and invisible. Humans cannot comprehend the greatness and power of God. God knows that human strength is weak and cannot fight against Satan. That is why He gave the command to humans: To fight against Satan and control them, we must rely on the power of God the Father.

Before relying on His power, humans must believe one thing: God is the only One who is Eternal and Self-Existing. He is omnipotent. He can create everything from nothing. Only God alone has the power to cast out Satan from humans.

That is why those who know how to trust and rely on the power of God the Father, calling on Him to help and protect them, will receive His mercy, and He will accept their prayers. But they must have great faith—absolute faith in God. They must believe that only He has the power to save their soul and body. And they must believe that only He has the power to drive Satan away from them. Today's Word of God also teaches the disciples that when following God the Father, doing the work of exorcising demons and healing the sick and sinners, the first thing that God the Father requires of the disciples is always absolute faith in God. They must believe He is the master of everything and controls everything in this universe and humanity. They must believe that He is the master of evil spirits. Besides Him, no one has power over all creatures!

Therefore, God the Father calls all His children to return to Him and worship Him alone as the only One. Do not give in to the temptations of Satan, their desires, passions, and sins that go against God's will, and leave Him. God the Father also calls all His children to pray constantly, to unite more closely with Him, so that He can give them stronger faith to fight against Satan and drive him away from the sick and sinners. People must realize that when they have the power to drive Satan out of the sick and sinners, it is not due to their efforts but to the power of God the Father. When people pray to Him, when they earnestly unite themselves closely with Him in all places and at all times, and in His name they exorcise demons and heal with absolute trust in Almighty God, they must remember: only He has the power to drive Satan's demons out of themselves and others; only He has the power to heal souls and bodies. Our job is to obey and humbly follow the will of God the Father with absolute trust and confidence in Him, to trust in Him, and to worship Him alone as the only One.

Today's Word of God teaches the disciples to be alert to the temptations that lull them into complacency. These temptations will make them doubt God's work and the existence of His absolute power. They will weaken their faith, making them believe in God the Father half-heartedly. That is not pleasing to God the Father. That is why He taught the apostles who follow Him today, those in the Army of Light of God the Father, those who have absolute faith in His work, to know one thing: Do not succumb to Satan's temptations or doubt the work of God the Father in this new era, doubt the activity of the Holy Spirit, or the absolute power of God the Father manifested in this work. They must always be vigilant and continuously remain closely united with God the Father in all places and at all times. Whatever you think, whatever you do, you must place yourself under the eyes of God the Father and absolutely believe that He knows everything and is in control of everything in His work.

Be humble, humble yourself, listen to and obey the will of God the Father, let go of everything, and simply allow Him to lead you step by step in His work. Then, you will have the power to drive Satan out of yourself and others.

Thanks be to God. Amen.