I have spoken often to your charity about fasting and prayer,
especially during these holy days. But so far I have imparted nothing to
your devout ears and souls about the gifts with which they honour those
who love them, and the many benefits they bring about for those who
make use of them. These matters are confirmed above all by the Lord’s
words in today’s Gospel reading. So what are these gifts? They are
great, probably the greatest of all. Among other things, they can bestow
authority against evil spirits, to cast them out and drive them away,
and to free those possessed from their cruelty. When the disciples,
referring to the deaf and dumb spirit, told the Lord that they could not
cast him out, the Lord told them, “This kind goeth not out but by
prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17.21).
Perhaps that was why, when the Lord descended after His prayer on the
mountain with its accompanying manifestation of divine light (Matthew
17.1-9, Mark 9.2-9, Luke 9.28-37, 2 Peter 1.16-18), He immediately came
to the place where the man possessed by that demon was (Mark 9.14-17).
He had taken His chosen disciples, it says, “and went up into a mountain
to pray, and he did shine as the sun. And, behold, there appeared unto
them Moses and Elijah talking with him” (cf. Matthew 17.2-3 and Luke
9.28-30). These two men practiced prayer and fasting more than anyone
else, and their appearance while the Lord was praying shows the harmony
and concord between fasting and prayer. In their talking with the Lord,
it was as if fasting were talking to prayer. As we learn from Moses, the
Lord told Cain that the voice of the blood of smitten Abel cried unto
Him (Genesis 4.8-10). In the same way, all the parts and members of our
body suffering hardship because of fasting cry unto the Lord and,
joining their voice to the prayer of the faster, pray together with him.
They make his prayer highly acceptable, and justify him for having
voluntarily undergone the toil of fasting. So then, after having prayed
and shone with the divine lifth, the Lord came down from the mountain
and approached the crowd and His disciples, to whom the man with the
demon had been brought. On the mountain He showed that the reward for
fasting was not merely great but all-surpassing—for He revealed that
their prize was divine radiance. Now that He had descended, He would
prove that they also win power over demons.
Since it is customary on this Sunday of the fast to read about this
miracle in church, let us start from the beginning and go through the
whole of the Gospel passage which recounts it (Mark 9.17-31). When Jesus
came to the disciples, and those with them, and asked what they were
discussing, one of the multitude answered and said, “Master, I have
brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; and wheresoever he
taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth,
and pineth away” (Mark 9.17-18).
Why was he foaming at the mouth, gnashing his teeth and withering
away? Of all the parts of the possessed man’s body, his brain suffers
first and foremost, since the demon uses the spirit of the soul within
the brain as a vehicle, and from there, as from a citadel, exercises
power over the whole body. When the brain is afflicted, it emits a
frothy, phlegm-like discharge to the nerves and muscles of the body,
blocking up the outlets of the soul’s spirit. As a result, shock,
convulsions and involuntary movements affect all the parts of the body
capable of independent movement, especially the jaws, as they are
nearest to the part originally afflicted. A lot of moisture is brought
down into the mouth due to the size of its pores and its proximity to
the brain. Since, because of the unruly movements of the body’s organs,
it is impossible to breathe out in one long breath, and the breath is
mixed up with the accumulation of moisture, those afflicted foam at the
mouth. So the demon was foaming at the mouth and gnashing his teeth,
clashing them together horribly and grinding them in a frenzy. The boy
was withering away because of the demon’s extreme violence. The heat of
the sun’s rays causes mist to form, but if this heat intensifies, it
makes the mist disappear and disperses it completely. Similarly, the
demon’s violence causes moisture to come from the internal organs, but
if this violence intensifies, the body’s natural juices soon evaporate
and the possessed person withers away.
The father of the man with the demon went on to tell the Lord that he
had asked His disciples to cast him out, but they could not (Mark
9.18). Then the Lord, addressing not just the man but everyone, said, “O
faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I
suffer you?” (Mark 9.19). I think it likely that the Jews who were
present at the time had used the disciples’ inability to cast out the
demon as an excuse for a few blasphemous comments. They did not cease
speaking blasphemy when miracles were performed, so what would they stop
short of saying if they had an excuse? The Lord was aware of their
murmuring and reproaches, and, from afar, proved them wrong and put them
to shame, not just with hard-hitting words, but with both deeds and
words full of love for mankind. He ordered that the possessed man be
brought to Him, and they brought him. When the demon saw the Lord, he
convulsed the man, who fell down and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.
For He gave the demon leave to demonstrate his wickedness openly (Mark
9.19-20).
Then the Lord asked the boy’s father, “How long is it ago since this
came unto Him?” (Mark 9.21). The Lord asked this question out of
charity, to lead the man towards believing and supplication with faith,
since he was so far from believing that he did not even plead for his
son to be saved. He had not entreated the disciples at all either. “I
spake,” it says, “to them that they should cast him out” (Mark 9.18). He
had not fallen down at their feet or pleaded with them or besought
them. Up until then he did not seem to have besought the Lord either. So
the Lord left the boy lying wretchedly in front of Him, and addressed
the father, asking how long he had been afflicted, and eliciting a
request from him. He replied that he had him from childhood and that he
had often cast him into fire and water to destroy him. Then he added,
“But if thou canst do anything, have compassion on us and help us” (Mark
9.21-22).
You see how lacking in faith the man was. Anyone who says, “If thou
canst”, makes it obvious that the does not believe you can. The Lord
replied, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that
believeth” (Mark 9.23). He did not say this because He was unaware of
the man’s disbelief, but to lead him step by step towards faith and to
show that his lack of faith was the cause of the disciples’ failure to
cast out the demon. Observe carefully the evangelist’s words. He does
not say that the Lord said to the boy’s father “If thou canst believe”
just as He almost always demanded faith of those who asked for healing,
but as the Master and Guardian of souls, He also strove to heal them
through faith. When the boy’s father heard that healing would follow
upon his own faith, he said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help thou mine
unbelief” (Mark 9.24). See what excellent moral progress he had made!
He not only believe that the boy could be healed, but also that the Lord
could overcome his own lack of faith, if He was willing. At these
words, the people came running together and the Lord rebuked the unclean
spirit, saying, “Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of
him, and enter no more into him” (Mark 9.25).
This demon seems to have been extraordinarily savage and defiant, as
proved by the severity of the Lord’s rebuke and His command that he
should not return. Apparently, if it had not been for this order, he
might have gone back again after having been cast out. He had a strong
hold over the man and was difficult to detach. He was deaf and dumb as
the man’s nature was inadequate to minister to his excessive madness,
and had been afflicted with almost total deprivation of the senses. “And
the spirit cried,” it says, “and rent him sore, and came out of him:
and the man was as one dead; insomuch as many said, he is dead” (Mark
9.26). The demon’s cry does not contradict the fact that he was dumb.
Speech means sounds which convey a meaning, whereas a cry is an
unintelligible sound. The demon was allowed to convulse the man so
severely as to make him like a corpse, so that all his wickedness could
be openly seen. Nevertheless the Lord took the man by the hand and
lifted him up, and he arose, showing in this way what great energy was
His. Taking him by the hand was a manifestation of created energy like
our own. Raising him up completely unharmed, however, demonstrated
uncreated, divine, life-creating energy.
When the disciples asked Him privately, “Why could not we cast him
out”, He told them that this particular demon “can come forth by
nothing, but by prayer and fasting” (Mark 9.28-29). Some people say this
must be the afflicted person’s prayer and fasting, but it is not so.
Anyone in whom an evil spirit is at work, especially one like this, is
his tool and completely in his power. So how can he pray and fast for
his own good?
It seems that this terrible demon was the demon of licentiousness.
Sometimes it casts its victims into the fire—that is, into strange loves
devoid of affection—and sometimes it plunges them into the water by
means of gluttony and excessive indulgence in drinking and parties. The
demon in such people is also deaf and dumb, because anyone who has let
himself be persuaded by the suggestion of such a demon can hardly bear
to hear or speak of sacred subjects. When someone who does not have this
evil spirit dwelling within him, but has been carried along by his
suggestions, stands up ready to repent—for he still has his freedom of
action—he has need of prayer and fasting. Through fasting he curbs his
body and checks its stirrings, while through prayer he puts out of
action and lays to rest the soul’s former preferences and thoughts which
arouse this passion, and he overcomes it, having repelled the satanic
assault and violence by fasting and prayer. If, however, he not only
acts on the demon’s suggestions, but has him dwelling within him, he no
longer suffers like other men. Nor can he himself do anything towards
being healed. If those who are free, especially those in whom the Holy
Spirit dwells, do on his behalf what he would himself if his mind were
at liberty, this can make a great contribution towards casting out the
demon (compare James 5.16 and Acts 12.15).
Driving away demons, however, is not required of us, and even if we
were able to drive them away it would be of no advantage to us if we
lived carelessly. “Many”, it says, “will say to me in that day, Lord,
Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out
devils? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from
me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7.22-23). It is much more profitable
to us to strive to banish the passions of fornication, anger, hatred
and pride than to cast out demons. Being delivered from bodily sins is
not enough, we must also cleanse the inner energy which dwells in our
soul. For out of the hearts “proceed evil thoughts, adulteries,
fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness” (Mark 7.21) and so on—these
are what motivate people. Also, “Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust
after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart”
(Matthew 5.28). Even when your body does nothing, sin can be active in
your mind. When your soul inwardly repulses the evil one’s attack by
means of prayer, attention, remembrance of death, godly sorrow and
mourning, the body, too, takes its share of holiness, having acquired
freedom from evil actions. This is what the Lord meant by saying that
someone who cleans the outside of a cup has not cleansed it inside, but
clean the inside, and the whole cup will be clean (Matthew 23.25-26).
“Strive as hard as you can to ensure that your inner labour is according
to God’s will, and you will conquer the outward passions” (Abba
Arsenios, Apophthegmata Pateron 9). If the root is holy, so are the
branches (John 15.5). If the yeast is holy, so is the dough (Galatians
5.9). “Walk in the spirit”, says Paul, “and ye shall not fulfill the lust
of the flesh” (Galatians 5.16).
Christ did not abolish the Jewish circumcision but fulfilled it. He
Himself says, “I am not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill” (Matthew
5.17). How did He do this? It was a seal, a sign and a symbolic way of
teaching about cutting off evil thoughts in the heart, something the
Jews were not very zealous about. They were reproached by the prophets
for being uncircumcised in their hearts (compare Jeremiah 9.26 and
Romans 2.25), they were hated by Him who could look into hearts, and in
the end they became outcasts. Man looks at the outward person, but God
regards the heart, and if it is full of foul or evil thoughts, that man
deserved to have God turn away from him. That is why the apostle exhorts
us to pray without wrath and doubting (First Timothy 2.8).
To teach us to strive for the spiritual circumcision of our hearts,
the Lord pronounces the pure in heart and the poor in spirit blessed. He
stresses that the reward for this purity of heart is seeing God, and He
promises the kingdom of heaven to the poor (Matthew 5.8, 3). By the
poor He means those who live frugally and in need. But it is not only
such people whom He calls blessed, but also those who are like them in
spirit, those who, because of their inner humility of heart and their
good purpose, have arranged their outward life accordingly. He forbids
not just murder but anger, and commands us to forgive from our hearts
those who sin against us. Nor will He accept the gift we offer unless we
are first reconciled with one another and let go of anger (Matthew
5.21-24).
His teaching is the same in respect of the passion of fornication,
since He declares that an idle look and the resultant desire in the
heart is adultery (Matthew 5.27-28). Looking at the subject as a whole
He says, “If the light that is in thee”, namely, the mind and the
reason, “be darkness”, full of the unenlightened assaults of the rulers
of darkness, “how much greater is that darkness”, of the body and the
senses, which of themselves do not possess the noetic radiance that
gives birth to both truth and dispassion? If the light within you is
clear, unobscured by fleshly ways of thinking, your soul will be
completely radiant, as though a lamp were illuminating you with its
light (compare Matthew 6.22-23 and Luke 11.34). Such is the spiritual
circumcision of the heart through which the Lord fulfilled the
circumcision of the flesh according to the law, given to the Jews as a
sign and a guide towards it (Romans 2.28-29). As they made no effort to
acquire this spiritual circumcision, their own circumcision, as Paul
says, “is made uncircumcision” (Romans 2.25), and they have been
estranged from God who does not regard the person (Galatians 2.6,
Matthew 22.16, Mark 12.14, Luke 20.21), that is, the outward signs of
righteousness in the flesh, but looks into the heart, at the invisible
movements of our thoughts within us.
Please may we too, brethren, be on our guard, and let us cleanse our
heart from all defilement, lest we be drawn in the wrong direction with
the condemned. If the law spoken by Moses “was steadfast, and every
transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how
shall we escape if we neglect our own salvation, which at the first
began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that
heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders,
and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost” (Hebrews 2.2-4).
Let us fear Him who examines hearts and minds. Let us appease the Lord
of vengeance. Let us make ourselves the dwelling of peace,
sanctification, and contrite prayer, without which no one will see God
(Hebrews 12.14). Let us long with the full assurance of faith for that
vision promised to the pure in heart, and may we do everything to attain
it, for it is accompanied by eternal life, unfading goodness,
inexhaustible riches, unchanging and unending delight, glory and
kingdom.
May we all attain to these things in Christ, the King of the ages, to
whom alone belong all glory, honour and worship, with His Father
without beginning and the all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit unto
endless ages. Amen.
