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Theo Tigno•
2/3/2008 8:09 pm
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Monday, February 4th 2008 |
Mark 5:1-20
Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the sea, to the territory of the Gerasenes. When he got out of the boat, at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met him. The man had been dwelling among the tombs, and no one could restrain him any longer, even with a chain. In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains, but the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles smashed, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsides he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones. Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before him, crying out in a loud voice, "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." And he pleaded earnestly with him not to drive them away from that territory.
Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside. And they pleaded with him, "Send us into the swine. Let us enter them." And he let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine. The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea, where they were drowned. The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the town and throughout the countryside. And people came out to see what had happened. As they approached Jesus, they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion, sitting there clothed and in his right mind. And they were seized with fear. Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happened to the possessed man and to the swine. Then they began to beg him to leave their district. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him. But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead, "Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you." Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed.
Dawg's thought:
Today's prayer intention is for those affected by the earthquakes in Rwanda and Congo, and for the repose of the souls who were affected by it.
Saving the soul of the man far outweighed being popular and accepted.
This past Friday night, a friend of mine invited me to go checkout the Super Bowl block party right down the street from his house. As I looked around, something disturbed me. Of course, I'm not someone who enjoys being in situations of large crowds and loud music. Beyond that, though, was the faces of the people walking around. It was as if they were chasing the opportunity to be accepted by something, or someone, that they found "cool".
What Christ is offering us is that "something" (our faith) and that "someone" (Himself) that we are all striving for. The people in today's reading couldn't see that. They were busy worrying about their livelihood before the life of a man. What Christ offers us is Himself.
As Lent approaches, it's good to keep this in mind. There are things we must sacrifice for the sake of our own souls and the souls of others. Christ models this sacrifice for us throughout the scriptures and through the giving of Himself in the sacraments. He does not ask of us anything that He did not do Himself.
We know the reward and joy of the sacrifice in living a life in Christ. Let us truly live this out with joy through Christ so that His truth may shed light on the fears of many who have found Christ's ways too hard. Take care and God Bless.
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