Reflections of a beloved son

In the Gospels we hear of a father who went to Jesus and asked Him to cast out the demons that were causing his son to convulse and foam at the mouth. The father told Jesus that His disciples tried but were unable to cast them out.  Jesus seemed disappointed and wearied but of course He cast out the demons and healed the boy. The disciples asked Jesus why they couldn't cast out the demons. I mean they walked with Jesus, listened to Him, and ate with Him.  If they were so close with the Lord why couldn't they cast out the demons?  Jesus told them, "This kind can only come out through prayer."  Well, what does that mean, Jesus? The disciples may have walked with and listened to Jesus, but did they know Him?  Jesus told His disciples that the kind of demon that was inside the little boy can only be cast out through "prayer."  What is prayer?  Prayer is a relationship.  It comes from spending time with and getting to know the other. The disciples ma...

We make many decisions on a daily basis - what to drink, what to eat, what clothes to wear, how to respond to questions and situations, etc.  So, there are those everyday decisions about certain instances of our lives, i.e. what to do at this moment, and there are those decisions that we must make that dictate how we live our lives.  We must choose a side. Do we choose to be on the side of good or on the side of evil?  Do we choose to stand with God or with the devil.  Do we choose to turn a blind eye or do we stand up for justice?  Do we choose sin or do we relish in love and communion?  Do we choose life or do we choose death?  We can not be in between on these matters.  As Christians we know we belong to God and to His love, but do we choose to do so? It is essential that we know what we choose because that will dictate how we will live our lives.  If we choose the side of good and life, then our actions will be directed towards that....