Monday: 4th Week in Ordinary Time-A
Gospel: Mark 5:1-20: Come out of that man, unclean spirit.
The Authority of Jesus to Banish Demons: Hope for the Most Wild and
Mean
The
Spirit of God controls people to varying degrees; evil also controls people to
varying degrees. Some persons are extremely controlled by evil; others are just
slightly controlled. The man in this passage is said to have been possessed by
a legion that is hordes of demons. The man experienced a great deliverance by
Jesus Christ.
Who
is the agent or the author of evil spirit or who created the evil spirit? The
misuse of the freedom and disobedience to the command of God and the will of
God. The first parents disobeyed God’s command and misused the human freedom as
a result sin and death came into the world where as Mother Mary and Jesus
obeyed God’s will and brought eternal life and salvation to the humankind. The
disobedient angels were also thrown down from the heaven.
Jesus
rebuked the evil spirit: because of Satan’s influence, leading, cheating,
tempting, and deceiving the man to take away from God and to influence him to
disobey the commandments of God or will of God like Adam and Eve in the Genesis
deceived by the serpent. Now the seed (Jesus) is crushing the head of evil
spirit and its power over man. Moses talked about this real Prophet Jesus the
Messiah who would lead the people of God in the first reading of 4th
Sunday-B. That is what John the Baptist said, “I am not a prophet, Elijah and
Christ..But one who comes after me He is the Christ the Messiah.” Thus we need
to listen to the voice of Jesus and obey his teaching and commands of loving
God and loving neighbours. Paul is urging to live a holy life for God rather
than living according to own will or plan or wish but to live according to
God’s will and plan which can bring victory over evil spirit.
How can we love Jesus and obey or
listen to his command? By four things:
i.
Prayer
ii.
Reading
the Word of God and practice them in life
iii.
Sacrament
of Reconciliation
iv.
The
Eucharist and doing good works in life for others and for God.
1. An eerie event: at night, on the
lakeshore-among the tombs (cp.4:35) (v.1)
2. Scene 1: A man hopelessly
possessed-without Jesus (v.2-5)
a.
He
had an evil spirit
b.
He
lived among the tombs
c.
He
was cut off from society
d.
He
was uncontrollable, unrestrained, untamed, wild, mad, violent tempered
e.
He
was naked, v.15
f.
He
was always inflicting wounds upon himself
3. Scene 2: A man desperately aroused
by the Son of God (v.6-7)
a.
He
worshipped Jesus
b.
He
acknowledged the deity of Jesus
c.
He
begged not to be tortured
4. Scene 3: A man miraculously
cleansed by the authority of Jesus (v.8-13)
a.
Jesus
spoke the word of power
b.
Jesus
showed the man’s great need
c.
Jesus
showed the nature of evil spirits
i.
Were
subject to Christ
ii.
Desired
a body to indwell and influence
iii.
Were
malicious and violent-destroyers
5. Scene 4: A people callously
rejected Jesus- by begging Him to leave their presence (v.14-17)
a.
A
logical action: Ran to tell
b.
A
logical investigation: came to Jesus
c.
A
logical account: told of the healing and also of the pigs
d.
An
illogical request: asked Jesus to leave
e.
A
tragic end: he left
6. Scene 5: A man deliberately
commissioned by Jesus (v.18-20)
a.
He
requested discipleship
b.
He
was sent to be disciple at home
c.
He
was faithful
d.
He
was successful
Thought:
Jesus Christ has the authority to cleanse man, no matter how mean and evil.
Note the demons had just what they wanted. They had caused the people to reject
Jesus, choosing the riches of the world rather than him (contrast the spirit of
Moses, Heb 11:25-26).
knowing that
Jesus is the Holy One of God is not enough. A person has to believe in the
power of Jesus Christ and love him and live a clean and pure heart.
One of the
major purposes of Jesus in confronting evil spirits was to prove his
Messiahship (Mt 8:28-34). He is the Messiah.
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