Daily Reflection – 1/29/2024
Sacred Scripture
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 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 he 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. (Mark 5:1-20)
Reflection
It’s easy to get caught up in all the drama of today’s scripture.
A man, shackled and chained, emerges from an empty tomb and approaches Jesus. As he does, he announces that he is full of unclean spirits. When Jesus healed him, 2,000 swine rushed out and over a cliff. One would think that there was a collective sigh of relief from the townspeople. But there was not, instead they implored Jesus to leave.
Sure sounds like there is something amiss. Instead of gratitude, there is fear. But nothing is amiss. It’s the same reaction that exists with some people today.
Whether it’s to survive the “madness” of events around us, or an ingrained habit of shutting out unpleasantries or even pretending they don’t exist. Some just will not confront. Is that a bad thing?
No, in and of itself, it is not. People have different coping mechanisms. The only thing that is amiss when that happens is that our senses become hardened. As followers of the way, hardening of our emotions makes it difficult to love, to care, to forgive, to reach out to those that are afflicted.
Jesus saw beyond what this man was –He knew what this man could be.
After the man experienced the love of Christ, he wanted to be close to Jesus. He was drawn to serve the Kingdom of God. We, the ambassadors of Christ, are called to allow Christ’s Spirit of love, hope and compassion to work through us – with the power of the Holy Spirit – to love the unlovable. This doesn’t come easily or naturally. It is natural to love people who are lovable- who are like us. It is a work of God in us to love the unlovable-those who are different for any number of reasons.
In many ways, the “unlovable” exist all around us, in many shapes, in many forms but they are there. No one person is asked to solve or heal all the sadness and all the misfortune. But every Christian can solve one problem, can join others in solving those societal issues that are wearing it down.
Why? First and foremost, it is because we have chosen to follow the way of Jesus Christ. But there is something else. When we develop hardening of our emotional arteries, we begin to close down the pathways by which we experience love.
We need to remain sensitive so that we do not lose our sensitivity. Think of all the times in your life that good was done to you, in any shape. Think of how it made you feel. Now think of how you tried to repay that act of goodness and kindness. Didn’t it feel as if you were filled with a lightness, a warmth, a sense of just feeling good.
At that point, you were touching the garment of Jesus.
Thats who we are. We are followers of the most pronounced and enormous love that exists. The love of God for His children. Never stopping, always filling.
Christ can change anybody. Christ’s love can revolutionize anybody’s life, but His love must first be shared and then received. And so, the obvious lesson for us is to in faith, “become comfortable being uncomfortable” and seek to manifest the love of Christ through us to those who the world says are unworthy.
Prayer of The Day
“Lord God, help me to be uncomfortable. Bring me to those situations in life where I can be an instrument of your love. No matter where I am, there are those who could use kindness and caring. Keep me focused on being your servant of love wherever it is needed.
Daily Note
“Undertake courageously great tasks for God’s glory, to the extent that he’ll give you power and grace for this purpose. Even though you can do nothing on your own, you can do all things in him. His help will never fail you if you have confidence in his goodness. Place your entire physical and spiritual welfare in his hands. Abandon to the fatherly concern of his divine providence every care for your health, reputation, property, and business; for those near to you; for your past sins; for your soul’s progress in virtue and love of him; for your life, death, and especially your salvation and eternity—in a word, all your cares. Rest in the assurance that in his pure goodness, he’ll watch with particular tenderness over all your responsibilities and cares, arranging all things for the greatest good.”— St. John Eudes
