Today's Mass Readings

And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd about them, and scribesarguing with them. And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatlyamazed, and ran up to him and greeted him. And he asked them, “What are youdiscussing with them?” And one of the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought myson to you, for he has a dumb spirit; and wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down;and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to castit out, and they were not able.” And he answered them, “O faithless generation, howlong am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” Andthey brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsedthe boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesushasked his father, “How long has he had this?” And he said, “From childhood. Andit has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you cando anything, have pity on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “If you can! Allthings are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child criedout and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd camerunning together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You dumb and deaf spirit,I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again.” And after crying outand convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that mostof them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and hearose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Whycould we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out byanything but prayer and fasting.”