MONDAY HOMILY: 4TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR B
THEME: Good vs Evil
BY: Deacon Bill Frere
Gospel – Mark 5:1-20
Mount Precipice, Nazareth
(Mount Tabor in the distance)
As most of you know, Mark is the shortest, by far, of all the Gospels. He does not spend a lot of time on details; he gives you the basics and then moves on. He doesn’t even include the Nativity story. He cuts right to the important stuff! That’s what makes today’s Gospel reading so unique. It is so rich in detail – the name of the demon, the long history of the efforts of the people to control the possessed man and his terrifying struggle with evil.
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And yet look at how Jesus deals with him – with compassion and tenderness. See what happens when evil (Legion) is confronted with good (Jesus). He actually prostrates himself before Jesus. Just by His presence, evil bows before Him. And look at the effect on the man after he is released from his demons. He wants nothing more than to be with Jesus, to continue to be in the presence of good. The Power of Good!
Truth be told, we all, at some point in our lives, have our own personal demons. We all are shackled and tormented, possessed and consumed by evil in our life. Perhaps there are even times when we try to push God away – leave me alone! But Jesus reminds us today of the power of good over evil, the healing power of His presence and His actions. That man has been freed from his shackles, literally and figuratively. He has been restored to his life and his family through the power of Jesus’ presence and words of healing.
Perhaps today we can take the time to remind ourselves that, even in the worst of times when we feel the chains and pains of sin, Jesus is still here, still present with us, still offering love and forgiveness, mercy and healing.
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