In the Vatican Gallery hangs Raphael’s last painting, which
some think to be his greatest. It is
entitled, The Transfiguration. The uppermost part pictures the transfigured
form of Jesus, with Moses on the left and Elijah on his right. On the next level down are the three
disciples, Peter, James, and John, recently awakened and shielding their eyes
from Jesus’ blinding brilliance. Then,
on the ground level is a poor demon-possessed boy, his mouth hideously gaping with
wild ravings. At his side is his desperate
father. Surrounding them is the rest of
the disciples, some of whom are pointing upward. Raphael has brilliantly captured something of
the overwhelming contrast between the glorious Mount of Transfiguration and the
troubled world waiting below.
That is the picture of the story from Mark 9:14-29. Jesus, Peter, James, and John have just had
an awesome divine encounter of the heavenly kind on top of the mountain. In fact, it was so amazing that Peter wanted
to build tabernacles there and stay and not come down from the
mountaintop.
But the Christian life is not just “spiritual mountain tops”
of divine encounters but also valleys where people in dire need are awaiting a
miracle. Helplessly the father has
watched his young son being tormented by evil spirit and his only hope was to
bring the struggling son to Jesus’ disciples.
The disciples could not heal the boy but the father didn’t leave and go
home, he waited for Jesus to come.
In this story Jesus told the father that “his faith” was the
ingredient for healing. (Mk. 9:23) The issue was not Jesus’ ability but the
man’s willingness to believe. The man
feels the struggle between faith and doubt and cries out to Jesus, "Lord,
I believe; help my unbelief!"
That simple prayer of honesty touched the heart of Jesus and
He healed the boy.
Maybe we need to pray a prayer like the father, “Jesus we
believe, but forgive our lack of faith and daring. Liberate us to believe for things that
impossible for us but possible with Jesus.
No comments:
Post a Comment