God Wants Ice Cream

Seeing what God sees and wanting what God wants  

Mark 9:14-29  

As Jesus came down from the mountain with Peter, James, John and approached the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them. He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit. Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. Then he questioned his father, “How long has this been happening to him?”   He replied, “Since childhood. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.  Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!””   

          How would you define prayer? How do you pray? Have you ever prayed to win the lottery, and then to sweeten the deal, you added, “And if I win, I’ll give ten percent to Fr. John!” That’s a fair prayer. Or, more seriously, have you prayed for someone to be healed of a terrible illness like cancer? Or, maybe you prayed in a half-hearted fashion, like St. Augustine, who famously said, “O Lord, make me pure and chaste, but not yet!” At least that was an honest prayer. I sometimes imagine God saying to himself, “Man, if I wrote a book of all the prayers I’ve heard, I could make a fortune! And then I’d give ten percent to Fr. John, of course.”

          My own definition of prayer is a little different. My understanding of prayer is seeing things the way God sees things; prayer is trying to see ourselves and the world through God’s eyes. Imagine a small boy who would really like some ice cream. And instead of the boy asking, “Dad, I want some ice cream,” the boy asks, “Dad, do you think I should have some ice cream?” Catch the difference? That would be a pretty smart little boy. Prayer is not wanting what we want, prayer is wanting what God wants, and sometimes God wants ice cream.

          In the gospel today, Jesus helps a man learn how to pray better. A man has a son who is possessed by a demon. The father is obviously distraught and asks Jesus if he can do something. Jesus is a little irked by his attitude and replies, “If I can! Everything is possible to one who has faith.” And the father humbly answers, “Lord, I believe, help me unbelief.” Bingo, that’s the best prayer: the man tried to see things through God’s eyes (to believe more); he tried to see his son’s illness as God would see it. In other words, the man asked, “God, do you think I should have some ice cream?” And sometimes God says “yes.” Prayer is to see what God sees so then you can want what God wants. Sometimes, God wants ice cream.

          Recently, a friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer. As you can guess, it completely rocked his world because suddenly the specter of death became a stark and sober reality. But it also made him face some of the demons in his life and also be honest with his wife in a more complete and candid way. He came to talk to me and surprisingly declared, “Fr. John, this cancer has been a great blessing in my life. It has helped me to be a better man, and more loving husband, and a more sincere Christian.” You see, that man had learned how to pray because he had learned how to see. Prayer is seeing things the way God sees things, and then wanting what God wants. And sometimes, God does not want ice cream.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!