Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: January 29, 2024

Date:   Monday of the 4th Week in Ordinary Time

 Scripture Text:  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.

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

Today’s gospel text from Mark recounts Jesus’ encounter with the man possessed by a legion of demons in the territory of the Gerasenes. We read of the demons’ recognition of Jesus’ power and authority. Mark tells us of Jesus’ exorcism of these demons, freeing the poor man whom they had tormented and allowing the demons to enter the swine nearby. We can understand that the townspeople were frightened by the event, Jesus’ power, and the cost of Jesus’ miracle to them. But the man healed gave himself over to Christ who sent him to be an apostle – to proclaim the good news to others.

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

How do I respond to the LORD’s power and presence at work in my life, around me, in my world? Do I rejoice in the goodness achieved or do I reject the goodness because it impacts what I desire to do?   

Praying:

LORD, Almighty Father, You gave us your beloved Son to dwell among us as our brother and to reconcile us to You and to redeem us. Send your Spirit, LORD, among us to tenderize our minds and hearts and wills so that we might embrace your only begotten Son as the Messiah, our Savior. Grant that we may desire following in His footsteps along the Way to You more than anything that this world has to offer. Make of us true disciples and apostles who proclaim the power and the presence of our all-loving and all-present LORD to the world through our words and deeds. We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Spirit, one LORD, forever and ever. Amen.