The Power and Need of Intercessory Prayer

In today's Gospel, Mark 7: 24-30, a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, begs Jesus to heal her daughter, who is possessed of "an unclean spirit."  Initially, Jesus dismisses her, calling her a derogatory name given to non-Jews of His time, much like, in our days, foreigners are dismissed and help is first given to U.S. citizens, not to undocumented immigrants.  The woman, however, is not put out. She insists that Jesus help her daughter. When Jesus says to her: "Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs," she retorts with "Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children's scraps."  She is not put off! It is like she says to Him: "Please, Lord, have some pity for humankind. My daughter deserves a healing as much as Jews do!"  Jesus is amazed at the faith of this woman and her persistence.  He heals her daughter, making her whole, freeing her of the "unclean spirit"!

Do you and I believe in the power of intercessory prayer, as did this Syrophoenician woman?  Do we have the self-confidence of this woman who is not deterred by derogatory remarks to persistent in what we believe is our responsibility to stand up for another and/or for ourselves?

We have many examples that testify to the power of intercessory prayer: persons healed at the shrines of Fatima and Lourdes, people like St. Augustine who are converted through the prayers of a mother/father, and many others miracles that have taken place throughout history.

As we reflect upon this Gospel, we might also ask ourselves:  Of what "demons" do you and I need to be freed? What healing do we need from Jesus? Are their persons in our lives in need of healing and do you and I realize how important it is to prayer for them?

Revealing the Christ to the World

In today’s Gospel, Mt. 16: 13-20, Jesus asks the disciples: “Who do people say the Son of Man is?  And they give Him a variety of answers. Then Jesus says to them: “Who do you say I am?” Whenever we reflect upon the Scriptures, it is important that we hear Jesus speaking directly to us.  What is Jesus saying to us? What is Jesus teaching us? How is Jesus challenging our way of living, being, acting, and  interacting with others? 

Who is Jesus for me? My very life today depends upon Jesus, the Son of the Living God, the one who created me, brought me into existence, sustains me here on earth, guides me to His purposes, to the fullness of life that He promises and enables me to bring  to others. It is Jesus who feeds me each day with the Bread of Life, quenches my thirst each day with Living Waters. It is Jesus, this day, who keeps me from the Evil One, who sends me His Spirit each moment to guide me to Truth. It is Jesus, who, each day in the liturgy of the day, says to me: “Take and eat. This is my Body given up for you. Take and drink. This is my  Blood poured out for you,” as He includes me in the Supper of the Lord, in the heavenly banquet, when He does that which is only possible for the Son of God: change bread and wine into His Body and Blood, making us one with Him, reconciling us, transforming us, nourishing us for the journey through this “vale of tears.” It is Jesus, who, throughout the day as we encounter Jesus’ passion and death being lived out in humanity, asks us to show the world who He is in by showing  mercy, love and compassion to those in need. He asks us to show the world who Jesus is by standing in solidarity with those who suffer. He asks us to follows His Mother’s example, by offering  support to those who are being crucified by the forces of the world that know not God. Will we step up to this challenge as Christians today or will we deny Jesus by denying others and/or ourselves a taste of God’s love, God’s compassion, God’s mercy, God’s patience, God’s wisdom?

Faith in Jesus' authority

Today’s Gospel, Mt. 8: 5-17, reiterates the story of the centurion’s request of Jesus: “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.”  Jesus immediately responds: “I will come and cure him.”  Imagine telling Jesus that someone you love dearly is sick and/or in serious trouble.  Jesus, without hesitation, says to you: “I will come and cure him/her. I will go and help.”  You and I do not need to imagine that. Our God is that way!  We may not see the results instantaneously but our faith tells us that God responded.  The point, I think, is the asking and that we bring our concerns to Jesus, knowing who Jesus is!

In the story just told, the centurion says to Jesus: No, you do not need to come to my house.  “I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed…” And then he says: “You know, Lord, I, too, am a person under authority and I also have authority. I say to a servant ‘Come’ and he comes. ‘Do this’ and he does it.”  It’s like he is saying to Jesus: “Lord, you are author of heaven and earth. You have dominion over everything: health and sickness, light and darkness, evil and good. Just command the evil to leave my servant and it will be gone.”  What faith!  What about yours and mine?