The Healing of a Boy with a Demon

14When they came to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them.15Immediately on seeing him, the whole crowd was utterly amazed. They ran up to him and greeted him.16He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?”17Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit.18Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so.”19He said to them in reply, “O faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you? Bring him to me.”20They brought the boy to him. And when he saw him, the spirit immediately threw the boy into convulsions. As he fell to the ground, he began to roll around and foam at the mouth.21Then he questioned his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” He replied, “Since childhood.22It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”23Jesus said to him, “‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.”24Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!”25Jesus, on seeing a crowd rapidly gathering, rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it, “Mute and deaf spirit, I command you: come out of him and never enter him again!”26Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out. He became like a corpse, which caused many to say, “He is dead!”27But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up.28When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private, “Why could we not drive it out?”29 He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer.”

The Second Prediction of the Passion.

30 They left from there and began a journey through Galilee, but he did not wish anyone to know about it.31He was teaching his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death he will rise.”32But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to question him.

The Greatest in the Kingdom.

33They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, he began to ask them, “What were you arguing about on the way?”34But they remained silent. They had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest.35Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” 36Taking a child he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it he said to them,37“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.”

Go here for today’s reflection and comments.