10th Sunday of Matthew
Scripture: Matthew 17:14-23
You know that feeling when life seems totally out of our hands? Like our money, time, or even health is slipping away, and it’s suffocating? We’re tempted to throw in the towel and just scream.
So, we try all sorts of fixes to break out of that trap: teens might rebel, grown-ups might lean on booze, drugs, or comfort eating.
But here’s the kicker: those things just trick us into thinking we’re in control. Instead of grabbing life by the reins, we end up hooked, losing even more of that precious control. In today’s Gospel, there’s this kid possessed by a moon goddess (the Greek says he was “moon-struck,” usually mistaken for “epilepsy”), who keeps tossing him into fire or water.
But guess what? Jesus steps in and kicks out the “demon,” really sets the boy free. Maybe, for the first time, he’s the boss of his own life.
Today, Jesus is still handing out that freedom gift. It’s all about trust: choosing to follow what Christ says, instead of relying on our own strength to beat what’s got us tied down.
It took a while, but the disciples finally got it. They put their trust in spreading Christ’s healing mojo everywhere. So much that now, when we trust Christ, we also break free from what’s been holding us back.
No matter what’s going on, having faith in Christ changes everything. Seriously, it’s like having the power to move mountains.