Homily for 15 March 2015--Fourth Sunday of Great Lent

The Power of God and the Importance of Faith

Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Great Lent (15 Mar. 2015, 26 Mar. 2006)

Hebrews 6:13-20           Mark 9:17-31

 

Today’s Gospel story of the man whose son was possessed by an unclean spirit teaches us about the power of God and the importance of faith.

The boy whose father brings him to Jesus is possessed by a demon or spirit that tries to destroy him.  It makes him unable to speak; it takes control of his body and throws him around, even into the fire and into water.  Actually, it sounds a lot like what we would call epilepsy.  We now understand that epilepsy and other diseases are not caused by evil spirits, but they still cause pain and destruction, and need healing.

In fact, we can look at this Gospel story as a metaphor or image for any kind of affliction over which we have no control and which works to destroy us and to affect those around us.  This could be illness of the body, such as cancer or diabetes or heart disease or AIDS.  It could be illness of the mind, such as severe depression or schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.  It could be an addiction, such as to gambling or drugs or alcohol.

Every human being has some sort of affliction or addiction, and every human being also knows and loves someone else who also is afflicted or addicted.  We all know how destructive these afflictions are; truly they do seem to come from evil or unclean spirits.

In the Gospel story, the spirit attacks the boy, which also hurts the father.  It is as though the Devil is trying to destroy the father’s faith in God by attacking his son.

When the demon sees Jesus, it immediately attacks the boy:  it knows that Jesus has power over it, so it tries to scare the father away from asking Jesus to heal his son.  But the father is desperate and determined.  He pleads with Jesus:  “If you are able, have pity and help us.”

At this point, he is not fully aware of Jesus’ power as the Son of God, so he says, “If you are able.”  Jesus notices the father’s uncertainty and tells him, “All things can be done for those who believe.”  This leaves no doubt of God’s power—“All things can be done.”  But at the same time it emphasizes the need for our faith—“for those who believe.”  So the father cries out, “I do believe, but help my unbelief.”

Belief, or faith in God, is our decision to accept God’s power and authority and control of our lives.  Illness and pain and suffering can be used by the Devil to try to weaken or destroy our faith, so, like the possessed boy’s father, we also need to ask God to “help our unbelief” as well as to have pity and heal us and those we love.  “Help my unbelief” is another way of saying, “Strengthen my faith.”  The more we turn to God for help, the more God can help us, for “all things can be done for those who believe.”

Believing, and holding on to our belief, takes work.  As Jesus told the disciples, some spirits can be driven out only by prayer and fasting.  Keeping our faith requires discipline and determination.  And we have to keep on, even when what we hope and pray for doesn’t happen, or when we cannot understand what does happen.  When we have faith, all things can be done for us.  There is no guarantee that they will be done, or when or how we want them to be done.  We cannot dictate to God; we can only pray, “Have pity on us and help us, and help our unbelief!”

And we can always give thanks and praise and glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, One God, unto the ages of ages.  Amen.