Following in the Footsteps of Jesus up to Jerusalem
A Lenten Pilgrimage of Hope
The following reflections are offered as an accompaniment to the short video clips we have produced for our Lenten journey this year for those who want a more in-depth meditation on each stage of this journey!
Lent 3 – Valley of Oppression and Instruction
And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.”
And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” Mark 9: 14-29
We continue our Pilgrimage of Hope following in the footsteps of Jesus in the Jezreel Valley below Mount Tabor. It is here after the glorious revelation on the mountain of transfiguration that the distressing encounter with a demonised boy outlined above takes place. It is recorded in each of the synoptic Gospels following Jesus’ transfiguration on a ‘high mountain’ before the eyes of Peter, James and John. This points to the importance accorded to this healing miracle by the Gospel writers, and the lessons for us as followers of Christ in the twenty-first century are equally important.
Lesson One – Can we come down?
It’s great to have spiritual revelation and times of blessing on the ‘mountain-tops’ with God and we need these experiences to sustain us spiritual journey. However, we cannot remain in these lofty places as this is not where the mass of humanity lives amid the pain and suffering of life. We need to come down from our spiritual mountains to offer healing, hope and hospitality to suffering humanity in the valleys of despair that so many people are experiencing with the love and compassion of Christ.
Lesson Two – Living faithfully in a faithless generation
When Jesus determines the reason for the argument between the scribes and his disciples who remained in the valley while he was on the mountain of transfiguration, he issues one of the sternest rebukes recorded in the Gospels. We need to pay special attention to the things that cause Jesus to become emotional because such occasions are rare but instructive.
This time he expresses his anger at the scribes, his disciples, and those in the gathering crowd for their faithless hearts and attitudes which leads them to argue while a boy remains oppressed and tormented by an evil spirit. Our theological arguments are pointless and render us powerless and insipid in the light of manifest evil. Rather we are to be people of faith who base our lives on God’s faithfulness and act in the authority of Christ’s name to minister his healing grace to all those who are oppressed by the devil.
Lesson Three – All things are possible for one who believes!
Jesus responds very emphatically to the father of the boy when he expresses some misgiving about his ability to heal his son. “If you can!” he responds to his question, and then adds that “all things are possible for one who believes.” The father of the boy immediately cries out, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief,” which is the heartfelt cry of a man who has witnessed the torment his son has suffered from early childhood. The pain and suffering of close family members (especially when this is prolonged) often drains our faith and resilience. A prayer of lament expressing our pain and sorrow which ends in an appeal for help to believe is sufficient to move God to action in such circumstances.
Jesus responds to this prayer by casting out the deaf and mute demon and restoring the boy to life and well-being.
Lesson Four – Spiritual revelation must be accompanied by spiritual disciplines
In response to the question from the disciples in private as to why they could not cast out this demon, Jesus responds that “This kind cannot be driven our by anything but prayer” (and some versions include fasting). Spiritual revelation must always be accompanied by the spiritual disciplines of prayer and fasting and other disciplines such as study, meditation and service to others, to be able to exercise the authority of Christ in the moments of crisis we all face.
Questions:
Prayer: Dear Lord, we thank you that all authority in heaven and earth has been given to you through your death and resurrection. Make us worthy partakers and ambassadors of your heavenly kingdom by exercising your loving authority to minster healing grace to those around us, and faith to believe and receive the grace and healing that we ourselves need to be restored to the fullness of life that you promised to all who believe in you. In the powerful name of Jesus we pray, Amen!
