Bài Tin Mừng hôm nay cho chúng ta thấy một người bị quỉ ám sống trong những ngôi mộ rất hung dữ có có sức mạnh vô thường chân tay có thể bẻ gẫy cã những xích xiềng. Thánh Phaolô cũng có nói về người bị quỷ ám với nghĩa khác. Đó là người bị hoàn toàn cai trị bởi những ham muốn của cải riêng mình về thể chất và ý tưởng, những người chỉ biết và thích sống một cuộc sống gợi cảm, "họ đầy bất chính, xấu xa, tham lam, độc ác đủ thứ; nào là ganh tị, giết người, cãi cọ, mưu mô, thâm hiểm; nào là nói hành nói xấu, vu oan giá họa. Họ thù ghét Thiên Chúa, ngạo ngược, kiêu căng, khoác lác, giỏi làm điều ác, không vâng lời cha mẹ," (Rom. 1: 29-30).
Đây là tình huống đáng thương của sự yếu đuối con người chúng ta và cũng vì tình yêu bao la của Thiên Chúa đối với chúng ta mà Ngài đã sai Con Một của Ngài, là Chúa Giêsu Kitô đến để cứu chúng ta và cho chúng ta có khả năng mới để biến đổi cuộc sống của chúng tôi. Chúng ta có thể được mặc với Chúa Thánh Thần và những ý thức hệ của chúng ta được hướng về Thiên Chúa và tha nhân.
The gospel presents a demoniac who lived in the tomb and could not be shackled.
St. Paul said to us that the demonic is the person who is ruled entirely by his own physical desires and ideas, who only lives sensual lives, as the letter to the Roman said that "men steeped in all sorts of depravity, rottenness, greed and malice, and addicted to envy, murder, wrangling, treachery and spite, without love, pity and honor" (Rom. 1: 29-30). Jesus himself tells us that this is the situation within our heart "evil intentions emerge: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly. This is what makes man unclean" (Mk 7: 21-23). This is our pitiable situation that is why out of immense love of God for us, He sent His only Son, Christ to save us and give us the new possibility to transform our lives. We can be clothed with the Holy Spirit and our senses directed towards God and our neighbor.
Faith is the most powerful force in the world. It can ‘move mountains’ and give people incredible courage and endurance. Without faith, which is closely related to hope, we wither and die spiritually and psychologically. But faith is not belief in doctrines and dogmas. One can be correct in theology but totally lacking in real faith. Faith is absolute trust in the power, fidelity, love, and guidance of God — even when everything appears otherwise. With God, all things are possible, but our faith is essential in making things happen.
The worst part of severe illness or disability is often the loss of human community. The demon-possessed man whom Jesus encountered lived among the tombs, denied human companionship. Jesus insisted on the demon’s name, for to know someone’s name was to exercise power over them. They were many, but that did not stop Jesus — he commanded them to leave the man.
The man was restored to his normal state and could rejoin the human community. Loneliness and isolation are the plagues of our age, but there is much that we can do about it. One of the kindest and most healing things we can do for someone is to welcome them into community and companionship.
Lord, help me to reach out to those that are lonely and isolated.
“What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me!” (He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”) He asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “Legion is my name. There are many of us.” Mark 5:7–9
To most people, such an encounter would be terrifying. This man whose words are recorded above was possessed by a multitude of demons. He lived on the hillsides among various caves by the sea, and no one wanted to go near him. He was a violent man, crying out day and night, and all the townspeople were fearful of him. But when this man saw Jesus at a distance, something amazing happened. Instead of Jesus being terrified of the man, the multitude of demons possessing the man became terrified of Jesus. Jesus then commanded the many demons to leave the man and enter a herd of about two thousand swine instead. The swine immediately ran down the hill into the sea and drowned. The possessed man returned to normal, becoming clothed and in his right mind. All who saw him were amazed.
Clearly, this brief summary of the story does not adequately explain the terror, trauma, confusion, suffering, etc., that this man endured during the years of his diabolical possession. And it does not adequately explain the grave suffering of this man’s family and friends, as well as the disorder caused to the local townspeople as a result of his possession. Thus, to better understand this story, it is useful to contrast the before-and-after experience of all involved. It was very difficult for everyone to comprehend how this man could go from being possessed and out of his mind to calm and rational. For that reason, Jesus told the man to “Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.” Imagine the mix of joy, confusion and disbelief that his family would have experienced.
If Jesus could transform the life of this man who was completely possessed by a Legion of demons, then no one is ever without hope. Too often, especially within our families and among old friends, there are those whom we have written off as irredeemable. There are those who have gone so far astray that they seem hopeless. But one thing this story tells us is that hope is never lost for anyone—not even those completely possessed by a multitude of demons.
Reflect, today, upon anyone in your life whom you have written off. Perhaps they have hurt you over and over. Or perhaps they have chosen a life of grave sin. Look at that person in the light of this Gospel and know that there is always hope. Be open to God acting through you in a profound and powerful way so that even the most seemingly irredeemable person you know will be given hope through you.
My most powerful Lord, I offer to You, this day, the person whom I call to mind who is most in need of Your redeeming grace. May I never lose hope in Your ability to transform their life, to forgive their sins and to bring them back to You. Use me, dear Lord, to be an instrument of Your mercy, so that they will come to know You and experience the freedom You so deeply desire that they receive. Jesus, I trust in You.
Introductory Prayer: Father in heaven, my heart is hungry for your word. I believe that you want to speak a word of hope to me today. How good it would be if I were to see myself and my future as you do, but at least I do trust in you. I wish to take up your challenge to be holy, whatever the cost, and I am confident that you will accompany me closely and help me with your grace.
Opening Prayer: Lord, please allow me to draw from this powerful story some inspiration for the day ahead. You are powerful and mighty, you conquer evil, you love me. Help me to trust in you.
1. God Is Stronger: The humanity of the possessed man had been conquered by evil, which tortured him “night and day” and roamed the tombs unrestrained. But that evil prostrated itself before Our Lord and begged. We can draw great consolation from the image of Legion kneeling and pleading before the Lord. The Catechism teaches, “The power of Satan is … not infinite. He is only a creature, powerful from the fact that he is pure spirit, but still a creature. He cannot prevent the building up of God’s reign. Although Satan may act in the world out of hatred for God and his kingdom in Christ Jesus, and although his action may cause grave injuries—of a spiritual nature and, indirectly, even of a physical nature—to each man and to society, the action is permitted by divine providence which with strength and gentleness guides human and cosmic history. It is a great mystery that providence should permit diabolical activity, but “we know that in everything God works for good with those who love him (Romans 8:28).” (CCC 395.)
2. Jesus Came to Gentiles: The presence of swine indicated that Jesus had come to gentile territory. He exercised his ministry in the same way among the Gentiles as he had among the Jews—exorcising devils and restoring humanity. Not until St. Paul later preached and traveled did the early Church acknowledge that the Gospel message was for everyone, but here Jesus showed by his actions that he made no distinction among peoples. He is Lord for all! As his followers, we are called to see everyone as a brother or sister–Greek, Jew, American–everyone.
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