I read the cover of the N.Y. Daily News: “GOD ISN’T FIXING THIS” and the mocking of prayer as a response to the terror of this week. My response was one of profound sadness and dismay. I strongly disagree.
I refuse to enter into the rhetoric on any side. Instead, I read the arguments for and against more gun control, immigration reforms, increased surveillance, and I land where I live most of my life; smack dab in the radical middle.
I try, God knows I try, to best align my thoughts and actions- and my votes- with my identity as a Catholic Christian. My middle ground life is not as a political centrist. My middle ground is the Cross of Jesus Christ. I believe, that in the center of that Cross lies the fulcrum for all humanity.
A fulcrum is the thing that plays a central or essential role in an activity, event, or situation. The Cross of Christ is the thing- “God’s fix” – for the pain and the suffering of the world. The world just doesn’t know it- yet.
Jesus came to earth- lived, died and rose again- to unite us with the love of God the Father for all eternity and extended his arms on that cross to unite us with one another.
The night before He died Jesus prayed: “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.” John 17:20-21
Terrorism is erupting around the world. Christians are being martyred for their faith. Violence threatens the safety of cities around the US and the world. Families are falling apart and even the most frail among us, the baby in their mother’s wombs, are not safe from destruction.
The problems we have are not rooted in terrorism or gun control or ideologies that strip the inherent value of all human life. Those are all symptoms of a deeper issue- the depravity and lack of love, in the human heart.
We need God and we need Him now. We who proclaim that we love Jesus need to live like we know Him, love Him and serve Him, “so the world may believe”.
What does it mean to believe? It means to surrender our whole lives to Christ and accept the truth of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus in such a way that it transforms the way we think, the way we act towards others and to fix our eyes on heaven. This life on earth is passing away. But when we believe, we know that our hope in God lies beyond the grave.
Belief in Christ isn’t a permission to judge or persecute one another. We can and should judge actions as right or wrong, but only God knows the heart. We have the right to protect ourselves and our families against the evil that wars against us. Jesus also told us to “love one another as I have loved you.” It’s a radical idea to love as God loves and it’s only possible in the Cross of Jesus Christ- God’s fix for the human heart.
As I was working on this column, I had the sad experience of attending the funeral of a young man, the loving son of a beautiful couple we’ve known for many years. He died suddenly, too quickly taken from this world, seemingly losing a battle that we all face at some point in our lives.
During the funeral Mass, they chose an unusual reading from the gospel of Mark. As the deacon read, I was moved to tears. The story begins with an argument among the teachers of the law and the disciples about why they couldn’t fix a boy that seemed to be possessed by a demon which threw him to the ground in convulsions. Jesus was frustrated by their bickering and their unbelief.
Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
“If you can?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.
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Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
Then Jesus rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.” Mark 9:14-29
From a casual reading, it would appear to be an odd gospel for a funeral. But in reality, at least from the vantage point of a believer, it was perfect. The priest did a phenomenal job of pointing out the harsh realities of life and death, the conflicts of good and evil and the power of belief. To the onlooker, It seemed like all was lost. As the priest pointed out, when Jesus conquered the demon, the boy appeared like he was dead, “but Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet.” (v.28)
After the funeral, I spent some time reflecting on this gospel and the clash of good and evil in this world. I returned to my radical middle of the road view, the fulcrum of the Cross of Jesus Christ.
How are we responding to these heinous acts? Are we responding like the teachers of the law and the disciples, sitting around bickering, pointing fingers or burying our heads in the sand and frustrating the heart of God?
Or will we chose to be like the broken-hearted father, who has no answers, but just desires healing for his son. His cry is not one of perfect faith, but rather a meager, “I believe, help my unbelief.” (v. 24)
To him and to us and to this crazy world, Jesus responds, “All things are possible if you believe” (v. 23) Then when the disciples asked why they couldn’t cure the boy, Jesus told them, “This kind can only come out by prayer.” (v. 29)
We need prayer.
By all accounts, it would appear to the world, that my friends’ son lost a battle that God wouldn’t or couldn’t fix. The death of innocent people by terrorists also appears like we are losing a battle. Yes, our loved ones are gone from this world and those who loved them the most miss them terribly. But for those who believe, they live, free from the pain and suffering that we all still endure. We can all be consoled that heaven awaits us, if only we believe.
The fix that God proposed rarely makes headlines, though it should because it is truly the Good News. Prayer sometimes changes outcomes and fixes our situations to align with what we hope to happen. Prayer always changes hearts and renews minds so that we come to see life from God’s perspective, change our behaviors and believe. Of this we can be certain- “all things are possible, if we believe.”
Eileen Benthal is a writer, speaker and wellness coach with a B.A. in Theology from Franciscan University. She is the author of Breathing Underwater: A Caregiver’s Journey of Hope.
Eileen and her husband Steve live in Jamesport and have four young adult children. Their youngest, Johanna, is a teenager with special needs.
Eileen can be reached at CareforaCaregiver.com.
