Victory (Mk 9:14-29)
Today's pericope tells us about another victory of Jesus over the evil spirit. While no one should be surprised that the Lord Jesus casts out another devil, but we are probably surprised by the fact that the disciples could not do the same.
When I meditate this fragment of the Mark's Gospel, a truth that comes to mind, probably is close to every believer. Namely, that human life is a constant struggle with weakness, disability, temptation and sin. Some used to say that pride only dies fifteen minutes after a person dies.
However, there is a special kind of evil spirit that can wreak tremendous havoc on a person's soul and life. This is the demon in today's gospel that Jesus' disciples could not drive out - it is a dumb and deaf demon. When we read a little bit of the teachings of the desert fathers of early Christianity, we see a resemblance to the acedia demon (Greek ἀκηδία, "negligence", ἀ- "lack of" -κηδία "care"), or Acediak, as some used to call him - the demon of the south. Acedia demon has been variously defined as a state of listlessness or torpor, of not caring or not being concerned with one's position or condition in the world. In ancient Greece akidía literally meant an inert state without pain or care. Early Christian monks used the term to define a spiritual state of listlessness and from there the term developed a markedly Christian moral tone. In modern times it has been taken up by literary figures and connected to depression. This demon action is not to fight man, to expose him to the temptations and lures of this world. The mission and tool of this seemingly most dangerous one of the guardians of hell is to make a person fall into a state of spiritual numbness, a kind of spiritual depression, and to put it in a somewhat colloquial language, the goal of the Acediak's (Mute Spirit) actions is spiritual " indifference", ostentatiously passive, disrespectful attitude towards all. This state, in turn, leads to indifference to God.
It is not easy for people who succumb to this demon to help. No arguments reach them, no rational discussions and clever rhetorical ploys. So human tools of evangelism can fail here. This demon needs heavy spiritual artillery: fasting and prayer - this is what Christ teaches us today.
Today's world, unfortunately, is very much besieged by the demon. Let us notice how many Christians, Catholics, do not follow Christ's teachings. And yet they declare themselves to be believers and practitioners of Christmas tree, Ash Wednesday and Eastern egg. These are the lukewarm in the Apocalypse of Saint John the Apostle, these are the ones that God wants to throw out from His mouth, as John says in the Letter to Laodicea. These are the ones conquered by the Acediak. But there is hope for them. This hope is not in evangelistic actions, nor in beautiful homilies preached with conviction and panache. This hope is the prayer and fasting of those who believe in Christ. Therefore, let us not lack the desire to make sacrifices and devote time to God, because we are, after all, in the front line of the war, the end of which is only at the time of death.
Jesus frees the boy from a mute spirit ... Then the disciples ask him: “Why could we not drive the spirit out?” He said to them: This kind can only come out through prayer.” / and fasting /. It is also an indication for us ... Often apart from our faith (no matter how strong it is) more is needed. Jesus says that this kind of evil spirits is cast out through prayer and fasting.
And let us take this teaching into account. Let us believe in the power of prayer and fasting.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george