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To pray is to open oneself to the possibility of sainthood,
to the possibility of becoming set on fire by the Spirit.
- Kenneth Leech
(Something in us resists this, at least for awhile. Allow the fire of the Spirit to move you to love this day.)
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SIR 1:1-10; PS 93:1AB, 1CD-2, 5
MK 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.”
USCCB Lectionary
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Praying the Daily Gospels: A Guide to Meditation, by Philip St. Romain, 2018 (3rd ed.)
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Mark 9: 14-29 (Jesus cures an epileptic)
The pathology of epilepsy is no longer explained as demonic possession as it was during Jesus' time. His healing of the epileptic boy was considered an exorcism since medical science did not yet understand this illness. This healing is yet another example of Jesus' desire to make people whole.
* Re-create in your imagination the scene between the father and Jesus. Hear Jesus saying, "Everything is possible for anyone who has faith."
* Make a commitment to a day of prayer and fasting for one day this week to deepen your relationship with God and others.
Paperback, Kindle and eBook
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God and
I: Exploring the Connections between God, Self and Ego, by Philip St. Romain, 2016 (2nd ed.)
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Chapter 9: Spiritual Transformation -- God, Self and Ego
4. We Consent to the “Dark Nights” of Healing
I have not given much attention to the unconscious in this book, except to note in passing (chapter 3) that it is what lies outside of the Ego zone of consciousness. We also noted (chapter 6) that it is included in the quadrant of the Johari window called “Unknown.” The proper attitude of the Ego toward the unconscious in the spiritual life is one of openness. This entails risk, however, for such
openness calls for letting go of defenses that keep repressed material out of Egoic awareness. These defenses have served a useful purpose, for the most part; they have enabled us to live within a “safe zone” of reality that we might learn how to make a go of our lives in this world. That’s difficult to do when shame, fear, resentment and other emotional pains cloud our awareness with their dark energies. Defenses keep these emotions cordoned off for awhile, at least, that we might have
some kind of life for ourselves without too much pain.
Hardback, paperback, eBook and free preview versions.
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