4th Week, Monday, Jan 30
Hebrews 11:32-40 / Mark 5:1-20
These heroes suffered much; A dream born of faith sustained them.
Concert musician Itzhak Perlman says that before he was four years old two things happened to shape his future in an irreversible way: he was stricken with polio, and he heard a recording of violinist Jascha Heifetz. The polio took away his legs, but Heifetz’s music gave him wings. It gave him a dream that set him on the road to musical greatness. Perlman is a faint, modern reflection of the great, great heroes of the old Testament. They also suffered much, but they also had a dream that set them on the road to spiritual greatness.
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What dream spurs us on in our moments of suffering and
trial?
“I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as
nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.” Rom 8:18
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The author of Hebrews gives praise to the faith of great men
and women of the Old Testament: Kings and other leaders, prophets, martyrs.
Even if they did not yet know Christ, they had great faith.
On his first journey to pagan territory, Jesus cures a possessed
man. Biblical scholars generally accept the historical foundation of this
strange incident, namely, that Jesus took pity on a sick man and revealed his
divine power to the pagans. Much of the rest may be a midrash, a sort of free
allegorical theological commentary in rabbinic style. For the Jews had a very
low opinion of pagans. They were slaves of demons, living in impure places of
death, like tombs, and not much better than pigs. In any case, Jesus is not
limited by boundaries and goes to these most alienated people, but they do not
accept him. Only the man who is healed shows faith in Jesus.
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It is a fact of life that no one is immune to the trials and
tribulations of life. But it is through trials and tribulations that one comes
to a self-realization and becomes more resilient to the difficulties and
hardships of life. And it is also through trials and tribulations that one
comes to realize who God is and how much one needs His help.
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Encountering Christ:
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.
3. These Gentiles Failed: Wherever Jesus went,
the individuals he encountered had to decide: “Is he the Son of God, a prophet,
or an imposter?” The Gentiles from the Gerasenes also had to decide. Was this
man who cast devils into a huge herd of swine who Legion said he was—or not? As
these people approached Jesus, they saw the possessed man fully sane and
restored. They witnessed the swine dead in the sea, yet they did not prostrate
themselves before Jesus. They begged Jesus to leave. They failed to realize
that “the kingdom of heaven” was at hand. Were they blinded by fear or angry at
their financial losses? Either way, they rejected the graces God had in store
for them, and instead chose to banish the Son of God from their midst.
Conversing with Christ: Lord, with hindsight
it’s easy to call the Gentiles from the Gerasenes foolish for rejecting you.
They failed to perceive your power over evil, your compassion for the
sinner/possessed, your benevolence in coming to their territory—and so much more.
I am just as blind, deaf, and dumb every time I choose to sin. Please, Lord,
“lead me not into temptation and deliver me from evil.”
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will say
a decade of the rosary asking for forgiveness for my sins and the sins of the
whole world. “For the sake of your sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on
the whole world” (Divine Mercy Chaplet).
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Opening Prayer
Lord, our God, through your Son, Jesus Christ, you showed your concerned love even to the most pitiable of people. Inspire among us too people who care, and may our own words and gestures always reflect the love without boundaries of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen
