Word to the Wise
Monday, January 29, 2018 - Monday in the 4th Week in Ordinary Time
[2 Sam 15:13-14, 30; 16:5-13 and Mark 5:1-20]"Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you." [Mark]
The story of Jesus and the Gerasene demoniac can distract us if we pay too much attention to the dramatic details like shackles, chains and a herd of two thousand drowning pigs! Two more important items call for our attention. The first is the meeting between Jesus and the evil spirit(s). They try to control Jesus by swearing to God that Jesus will leave them alone. (Remember, in the Gospel According to Mark, evil spirits are really the only ones who know who Jesus really is.) They lose that battle, of course, and are reduced to occupying a big herd of pigs! The second item is the reaction of the villagers and its contrast with the man freed from the demons. The villagers are frightened and beg Jesus to leave. The former demoniac begs to go with Jesus. This is one time in the Gospel According to Mark that Jesus tells someone to go and talk about what happened instead of keeping quiet about it.
We who now sit and read this incident may be left scratching our heads over its significance, but I see first that the power of Jesus is greater than any other power that could be thrown at us. Second, we need not be afraid of that power. Third, the Lord will help us to know how to follow him. All the rest is drama over shackles, tombstones, and drowned ham! AMEN