Matthew 17:11-16: a reflection

11Jesus answered them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and will restore all things; 12but I tell you that Elijah has come already, and they didn’t recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted to. Even so the Son of Man will also suffer by them.” 13Then the disciples understood that he spoke to them of John the Baptizer. 14When they came to the multitude, a man came to him, kneeling down to him and saying, 15“Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is epileptic and suffers grievously; for he often falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16So I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him.”

Coming down from the mountain of transfiguration, Jesus meets a scene of desperation. A father kneels before him, pleading for his suffering son, who is tormented and often in danger of falling into fire or water. And then the father adds a painful detail: I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him. The father had sought help and found the followers of Jesus unable to give it. His hope, worn thin, now rests on Jesus himself.

There is something honest and relatable in this scene. The father had done what seemed right, bringing his son to those who represented Jesus, and had come away disappointed. Sometimes the human helpers we turn to, even good and faithful ones, cannot meet our deepest needs. But the father does not give up; he brings his desperate case directly to Jesus, kneeling, pleading, have mercy on my son. When those who might help fall short, he turns to the One who does not.

You may have known that disappointment, of bringing a real need to people who could not help, even to good and sincere people. This story points you past every human helper to Jesus himself. When others cannot cure what troubles you or those you love, do what this father did: kneel before Jesus and plead for mercy. Human help has limits; his does not. Bring your most desperate cases, the ones no one else has been able to fix, straight to the Lord who is able.

Lord Jesus, a father brought his suffering son to your disciples and found them unable to help, so he brought him to you. When the human helpers I turn to fall short and cannot cure what troubles me or those I love, teach me to do the same. I kneel before you and plead for mercy. Bring me past every limited helper to you, who are able. Have mercy, Lord. Amen.