30 November 2026 · Syro-Malabar Rite
Open in the Daily Word appAlso: Latin Rite · Syro-Malankara Rite · മലയാളം
“Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God.” Luke 9:42–43
Paul reminds the Galatians that “those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed.” Christ became a curse for us “in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” The Annunciation season is about this faith: Abraham's, Zechariah's, Mary's.
Coming down from the mountain, Jesus finds his disciples unable to heal a boy. “You faithless and perverse generation,” he says, and heals the child, giving him back to his father. Our failures are not the end; Christ himself acts, and all are astounded at the greatness of God.
Theme: “The righteous live by faith.”
Abraham's faith brings blessing; Jesus heals where the disciples failed.
“And he believed the LORD; and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness.” Genesis 15:6
“For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed.” Galatians 3:9
Apply: Make an act of faith each morning this week.
“Look at the proud! Their spirit is not right in them, but the righteous live by their faith.” Habakkuk 2:4
“In order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:14
Apply: Thank Christ for bearing the curse for you.
“Is anything too wonderful for the LORD?” Genesis 18:14
“Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God.” Luke 9:42–43
Apply: Bring one impossible situation to Jesus.
Faith receives what God promises.
Let us trust the One who heals.
Take-home resolution: Pray “Lord, increase my faith” daily during this season.
Dear friends, on the first weekday of the season of Annunciation the Church looks to the faith of Abraham. Paul reminds the Galatians that those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed; Christ became a curse for us, so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, and we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith (Galatians 3:9, 13–14).
In the Gospel a father brings to Jesus his only son, whom the disciples could not heal. Jesus rebukes the unclean spirit, heals the boy and gives him back to his father; and all were astounded at the greatness of God (Luke 9:42–43).
Today is also the feast of St Andrew the Apostle, who, like our father St Thomas, carried Christ to distant lands. In these weeks before Christmas let us believe like Abraham and bring our children to Jesus like that father. The Twenty-Five Days Lent begins tomorrow; make your resolution today. Amen.
Children, the season of Annunciation has begun! Do one good thing every day these weeks to prepare your heart for baby Jesus.
Lord Jesus, you healed the boy and gave him back to his father. Strengthen my weak faith, and let all who see your works be astounded at the greatness of God. Amen.
On the first weekday of Suvara both readings speak of faith. Paul tells the Galatians that the blessing of Abraham comes through faith, and that Christ took the curse upon himself so that the blessing might reach all nations. In Luke, the disciples cannot heal a suffering boy, and Jesus laments a “faithless and perverse generation” before he heals him. Faith is not our achievement; it is trust in the One who can do what we cannot.
Setting.
Some teachers were telling the Gentile Christians of Galatia that they had to be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses to belong fully to God’s people. Paul answers from the story of Abraham, who “believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness” (3:6; Genesis 15:6) long before the Law was given. Paul uses four Old Testament texts: Deuteronomy 27:26, Habakkuk 2:4, Leviticus 18:5 and Deuteronomy 21:23.
Structure.
Key words.
Verse by verse.
“For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed.” (3:9)
“Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law; for “The one who is righteous will live by faith.”” (3:11)
Habakkuk spoke in a time of crisis: the righteous will survive by holding fast to God. Paul sees here the whole of the Gospel.
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (3:13)
Deuteronomy 21:23 said that one hung on a tree was under God’s curse. The crucified Christ entered that place of shame for our sake. This is exchange: he took our curse, we receive his blessing.
“in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (3:14)
How the Church reads it.
The Council of Trent teaches that faith is “the beginning of human salvation, the foundation and root of all justification” (Session VI, chapter 8), and the Catechism teaches that justification is the gift of God’s grace received in faith and baptism (CCC 1987–1992). Paul himself says that what counts is “faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6). In 1999 the Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation signed a Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, expressing a common understanding of these basic truths.
Setting.
The day before, Jesus had been transfigured on the mountain before Peter, John and James (9:28–36). Now he comes down to a crowd and a crisis. The other disciples had been given “power and authority over all demons” (9:1), but they could not cure this boy. Mark’s account adds that “This kind can come out only through prayer” (Mark 9:29).
Structure.
Key words.
Verse by verse.
“Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child.” (9:38)
A father’s prayer, simple and direct: “look at my son”. He asks first for Jesus’ attention.
“You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” (9:41)
The lament ends with a command of hope: “Bring your son here.” Jesus’ patience is greater than our lack of faith.
“But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.” (9:42)
“Gave him back to his father”: as with the widow of Nain (7:15), Jesus restores the family, not only the sick person.
“And all were astounded at the greatness of God.” (9:43)
How the Church reads it.
The Catechism teaches that Jesus’ exorcisms release people from the domination of demons and anticipate his great victory over “the ruler of this world” (CCC 550). It also distinguishes clearly between possession and illness: psychological illness is a very different matter, and treating it is the concern of medical science (CCC 1673).
Was the boy possessed or ill, perhaps with epilepsy?
The symptoms resemble epilepsy, and Matthew’s account uses a word often translated “epileptic” (Matthew 17:15). The Gospels present the case as the work of an unclean spirit. The Church is careful here: she believes in the reality of evil spirits, but she also insists that illness be treated by medicine, and that before an exorcism it must be established that one is dealing with the presence of the Evil One and not with an illness (CCC 1673). In every case, Christ is the healer of the whole person.