Faith is relationship

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For 21 February 2011, Monday of 7th week, based on Mark 9:14-29

When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. When the whole crowd saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him. He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak; and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so.” He answered them, “You faithless generation, how much longer must I be among you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “If you are able! —All things can be done for the one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You spirit that keeps this boy from speaking and hearing, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!” After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he was able to stand. When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “This kind can come out only through prayer.”


Scripture passage from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

About Mary Ann Wiesemann-Mills, O.P.

Mary Ann is a member of the Sisters of Peace.
She was an elementary school teacher for 20 years, serving in schools located in both Akron and in Denver, CO. She received training as a retreat/spiritual director at the Jesuit Renewal Center in Milford, OH and continues to serve as both a spiritual director and retreat preacher as time allows.

As associate pastor for seven years at St. Joseph Parish in Mantua, OH, she shared full preaching responsibilities with the pastor.
From 1989-2001, she served as Vocation/Formation Director for her congregation.

Mary Ann graduated from Aquinas Institute of Theology in May, 1997 with a Doctor of Ministry in Preaching and since that time has served as the Promoter of the Charism for the Akron Dominicans.
For five years she was a faculty member for the Aquinas Summer Preaching Institute and now serves as Adjunct Professor of Homiletics at St. Mary Seminary in Cleveland, OH.

Mary Ann is a member of the Academy of Homiletics and is past President of the Catholic Association of Teachers of Homiletics, which is a branch of the Academy.

July 1, 2001, Mary Ann elected to the Leadership Team of the Sisters of St. Dominic of Akron, OH, which has now joined with six other congregations to become the Dominican Sisters of Peace.

January 17, 2004, she was elected Prioress of the congregation to complete the term of Sister Elizabeth Ann Schaefer, OP who died December 23, 2003; this term ends June 30, 2005.

March 29, 2005 Mary Ann was elected Prioress of the congregation for the next four years, term beginning July 2, 2005 and ending June 30, 2009.