Luke 8:26-39 (The Message)
26-29 They sailed on to the country of the Gerasenes, directly opposite Galilee. As he stepped out onto land, a madman from town met him; he was a victim of demons. He hadn’t worn clothes for a long time, nor lived at home; he lived in the cemetery. When he saw Jesus he screamed, fell before him, and bellowed, “What business do you have messing with me? You’re Jesus, Son of the High God, but don’t give me a hard time!” (The man said this because Jesus had started to order the unclean spirit out of him.) Time after time the demon threw the man into convulsions. He had been placed under constant guard and tied with chains and shackles, but crazed and driven wild by the demon, he would shatter the bonds.
30-31 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“Mob. My name is Mob,” he said, because many demons afflicted him. And they begged Jesus desperately not to order them to the bottomless pit.
32-33 A large herd of pigs was browsing and rooting on a nearby hill. The demons begged Jesus to order them into the pigs. He gave the order. It was even worse for the pigs than for the man. Crazed, they stampeded over a cliff into the lake and drowned.
34-36 Those tending the pigs, scared to death, bolted and told their story in town and country. People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had been sent, sitting there at Jesus’ feet, wearing decent clothes and making sense. It was a holy moment, and for a short time they were more reverent than curious. Then those who had seen it happen told how the demoniac had been saved.
The casting out of demons and the resulting peace in the man’s life announces again the mission of Jesus - to set us free from the evil which so easily possesses us. It is a strong reminder that Jesus seeks too bestow wholeness, peace, and belonging to our lives.
Our greatest challenge is not to try figure out why Jesus did this to the pigs,
but having to courage to name the powers which seek to enslave us and keep us from living free, joyous, compassionate lives. And to let them be cast out!
The powers of evil are still at work in our world and in our lives. Prejudice, indifference, blasphemy, hypocrisy , bulling, judging, name calling, excluding, etc. etc. etc. We may not be able to change the world but we can let our hearts be changed from evil to good. And that means that we let go of what sometimes seems to be so important for our own welfare, and live so that love will prevail in our world of hate.
Perhaps we all need too hear again the words of Scott Peck who describes this evil which is in all of us and needs to be cast out.
"It is no accident that people who commit
the most evil in this world see no power
higher than themselves. The evil are very
strong-willed men and women. And
because they are narcissistic, self-absorbed,
and their will is supreme, they are the ones
who are most into inappropriate and
destructive blaming. They are the people
who cannot - who will not - take the beam out
of their own eye."
Scott Peck
Prayer thought for the week: “Lord, it is easy to see evil in others.
Help me see where I have that which needs to be cast out, lest I be evil too.”
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