"Help My Unbelief!”
Piety
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. Sirach 1:1-4
“I do believe, help my unbelief!” Mark 9:24
Study
The Lord is the source and preserver of all wisdom, which he pours out upon all. This was not an original thought from Ben Sirach. However, he may have expressed it more eloquently than the prophets before him. They use a variety of metaphors to equate Wisdom with God “from whom all good things flow.”
As for wisdom, where does she come from? Where is the place of understanding? She is hidden from the eyes of every living thing; even from the birds of the air, she is concealed. Job 28:20-21
“For the LORD gives wisdom, from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; He has success in store for the upright, is the shield of those who walk honestly, Guarding the paths of justice, protecting the way of his faithful ones, then you will understand what is right and just, what is fair, every good path…” Proverbs 2:6-9
For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion, and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason of her purity. For she is a breath of the might of God and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; therefore, nothing defiled can enter into her. For she is the reflection of eternal light, the spotless mirror of the power of God, the image of his goodness. Wisdom 7:24-26
Today’s Good News is a continuation of the story of the Transfiguration, the fourth Luminous Mystery in Saturday’s liturgy. Jesus gave Peter, James and John special insight and wisdom but commanded them not to share it until after the resurrection. Jesus picks up his ministry as if he had not skipped a beat to climb the mountain.
Approached by a man whose son needs healing, Jesus does not react the same way he did when the Pharisees demanded a “sign.” Even though the disciples were unable to drive out the demon which made the boy mute, an exasperated Jesus comes to the aid of the father and his belief.
Action
“Help my unbelief!”
“This kind can only come out through prayer.”
We wonder about God. Like the father in Mark’s Gospel, we have our doubts…maybe doubts more about the men running the church than the Church. We have unbelief. How do we overcome the doubts, the unbelief, and the obstacles to prayer?
Prayer is many things to many people. Prayer is the practice of the presence of God. Above all, prayer can be our active conversation with God. One explanation of prayer comes from Matt Slick on the website CARM (Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry (CARM):
Prayer is the practice of the presence of God. It is the place where pride is abandoned, hope is lifted, and supplication is made. Prayer is the place of admitting our need, of adopting humility and claiming dependence upon God. Prayer is the needful practice of the Christian. Prayer is the exercise of faith and hope. Prayer is the privilege of touching the heart of the Father through the Son of God, Jesus our Lord.[i]
The Lord asks only one thing – that through prayer, we put our will behind the will of the Father (to love Him) and the needs of the community members around us (to love our neighbor).
The very opening of the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that God made us to share his blessed life and infinite wisdom. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to us. God is always drawing near to us – but we don’t always return the gesture. The solution? Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you of two minds. (James 4:8).
How can we draw near to God today to overcome our unbelief and share in his wisdom?
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