Gospel Reflection For The 29th day of January in the year of Our Lord, 2024
Some of you may have received this one yesterday, along with the one for Jan 28 — sorry about that!
Gospel
Mark 5:1-20
1 And they came over the strait of the sea into the country of the Gerasens. 2 And as he went out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the monuments a man with an unclean spirit, 3 Who had his dwelling in the tombs, and no man now could bind him, not even with chains. 4 For having been often bound with fetters and chains, he had burst the chains, and broken the fetters in pieces, and no one could tame him. 5 And he was always day and night in the monuments and in the mountains, crying and cutting himself with stones.
6 And seeing Jesus afar off, he ran and adored him. 7 And crying with a loud voice, he said: What have I to do with thee, Jesus the Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God that thou torment me not. 8 For he said unto him: Go out of the man, thou unclean spirit. 9 And he asked him: What is thy name? And he saith to him: My name is Legion, for we are many. 10 And he besought him much, that he would not drive him away out of the country.
11 And there was there near the mountain a great herd of swine, feeding. 12 And the spirits besought him, saying: Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13 And Jesus immediately gave them leave. And the unclean spirits going out, entered into the swine: and the herd with great violence was carried headlong into the sea, being about two thousand, and were stifled in the sea. 14 And they that fed them fled, and told it in the city and in the fields. And they went out to see what was done: 15 And they came to Jesus, and they see him that was troubled with the devil, sitting, clothed, and well in his wits, and they were afraid.
16 And they that had seen it, told them, in what manner he had been dealt with who had the devil; and concerning the swine. 17 And they began to pray him that he would depart from their coasts. 18 And when he went up into the ship, he that had been troubled with the devil, began to beseech him that he might be with him. 19 And he admitted him not, but saith to him: Go into thy house to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had mercy on thee. 20 And he went his way, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men wondered.
Today’s Gospel gives us an interesting parallel to the first reading. In the first reading David, the chosen one of God to lead His people, was rejected and in fear of his life because the people had turned against him. A man curses him and throws stones at him ridiculing him as he and his band of warriors flee. Although David could have ordered the man killed, instead he viewed his circumstances as a chastisement from God and he did penance. After he came to power, he forgave the man much to the amazement of the people over which he would be king. Today, a demon possessed man accosts Jesus. Jesus treats him mercifully and delivers him from the demons. Remarkably, Jesus even treats the demons mercifully. The people, rather than worshiping Him, are struck with fear and ask Him to leave them. He does as they ask. How remarkable! Jesus could have exercised His power over all, but acts with humility and tenderness to all.
How often are we offended by people who treat us badly when we have done nothing to offend them? Very likely, such things happen to all of us who earnestly seek to do as God asks. After all, Jesus told us that we who love Him would be hated because He was hated. The knowledge that being rejected and ridiculed is a sign of being a Christian does little to blunt the hurt inflicted by the words of others. Just yesterday, I was ridiculed by someone who claims to be a faithful Catholic for simply suggesting that the compositions of the great composers, who reached the highest form of music in honor to God and who were believed by the Church to be divinely inspired, should take a more prevalent role in the music in the Holy Mass than the often insipid “praise and worship” music of our time. Yes, it was offensive. Yes, it was upsetting as the person made me a subject of public ridicule and criticism. I had two choices: 2) Get angry and call them out publicly, or 2) Say a prayer and just let it go. While my nature is to fight for what I believe (and sometimes this is the right response), I did stop and say some prayers. I began to feel strongly that this was a person who had deeper issues, perhaps an internet troll, but one who was looking for an argument that would be of benefit to no one. Perhaps, this time, I chose rightly.
Our Lord told us to turn the other cheek. This is never easy. It takes discernment – when should we stand boldly for the truth and when should we humbly submit to the blows of the enemy because that is the better part? Only through prayer may we know. But, there is an appropriate response to any situation just as there is an appropriate tool – to hit a fly with a sledge hammer will do more harm than good. Pride causes us to react defensively to every situation. If we do, we miss many lessons that God intended for humility. This is especially true in our families and with people we love. Over-reaction caused by pride can destroy the relationships that we value far more than just being right. We have to let the little things go and talk the big things out without getting angry. In our every day lives, over-reacting to the little things can expose us as being fools before those whose opinions we value. The greatest men I have known were those who would overlook slights and who treated those who could not benefit them with respect and kindness. They were magnanimous. That is a lesson I am still learning.
A Daily Catholic Devotional Reflections on the Daily Mass readings January-June, 2024. may be purchased as a .pdf directly from me using this link https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2023/12/a-daily-catholic-devotional-reflections.html or in paperback on Amazon amazon.com/dp/B0CPD1DC7Q
I am also giving the .pdf as a free Thank You gift to anyone who becomes a paid subscriber to The Uncensored Catholic newsletter.
Gospel passages are taken from the Douay Rheims Bible.