Luke 9:37-43 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, ‘Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.’ Jesus answered, ‘You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.’ While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God.
Context: The timing with this week's gospel lectionary reading seems strange and confusing ... at the end of the transfiguration of Jesus, the text states the disciples talked to no one about their experience making it sound there was time that had passed before the next passage. However, the very next verse says "on the next day" they were met by the crowd. Who then are the disciples that are referred to in this passage? It would not have been the inner circle for they are only just coming off the mountain with Jesus.
Going Deeper: When Jesus and his inner circle come down from the glory of the mountain, they walk right into the ordinariness of life and the crowds are waiting! Well, of course we all have to come down from the mountaintop (experience) just as the disciples did. Human beings who have mystical experiences of God take time to process. For this reason, I believe it is most likely the disciples had engaged in ministry after the transfiguration but had not necessarily internalized the magnitude of the episode ... the transfiguration of Jesus had not resulted in an instant transformation of the disciples. They needed time to respond by engaging in the ministry they were called to do with the power that was theirs to have if they would only trust in God.
Pondering: The disciples were called into the same ministry that Jesus engaged in ... healing, teaching, and preaching. They were called. They went in obedience ... in the end we all hope that the glory of God is seen in all we are and all we do. As you think about your life ... what invitation is there to move toward the healing, teaching, and preaching ministry of Jesus? How do you respond? Have you ever had a mystical experience of God that took time to process? How would you describe your experience to someone? Have you tried to share your experience with others? What was their response? How did you change as a result of your experience? How did your ministry change? How did your trust in God deepen?
Praying: The root of the word healing is sozo (Greek). Sozo also means salvation and wholeness. It does not mean cure. Have you ever prayed for healing for someone? Think of healing prayer not as an effort to change God’s mind but as a way to make you more receptive to receiving God’s grace. God yearns for sozo in our lives and waits patiently for us to trust in the love and longing God has for us to become what we have been created to be.
Our basic prayer of healing is “O God, heal us and make us whole.” As you seek to increase your trust in God, enter into a time of intercessory prayer with an adaptation of this prayer: “O God, heal _________ and make him/her whole.” As you move forward from this quiet time with God … know that God is answering this prayer of yours, even if the person you are praying for is not “cured.”
Allow yourself to be astounded by "the greatness of God" in your time of study and prayer ...
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