MONDAY JANUARY 29, 2024
MONDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME B
2 Samuel 15:13-14.30; 16:5-13
Mark 5:1-20
JESUS RESCUES US AND GIVES US BACK OUR LIVES
One of the depressing and frustrating situations of life is when one looses control of himself, his faculty and senses and his total wellbeing and depends on fate and goodwill of others. This man possessed by the evil spirits called legion had lost everything. He was no more in charge, he is totally taken over and all his faculties are given over to the actions and control of the evil spirits that have taken over him.
He lives at the mercy and control of the demons that has taken hold of him. That is why his strength is extraordinary, he breaks the chains that they used to bound him, he cries loudly and becomes fearful to all. He was a threat to those living around there. The result of being possessed is that one becomes a different person, controlled by the powers that possesses him and never oneself again. This is a very bad situation.
Our Lord’s mission is to free us to regain ourselves, to enable us act and live freely. Jesus comes to our aid, to release us from the oppressing and subjugating powers of the evil one so that we will be able to act and live freely. When he confronted this demoniac, they knew him and his power to save man. They knew that they were using the man and their end has come. Jesus’ power to save is never in doubt even to them.
They recognizes Jesus as the Saviour of man and made a request to go to where they belong. The customs and tradition of the Jews is that pigs are unclean and dirty. And any dirty and unclean place is the abode of the unclean spirit. They were asked to depart from the man whose life has been secured and this time will be rescued from their influence and subjugation to where they belong, the unclean places.
Man as creature of God was created clean and free. And Jesus came to free us from all evil subjugation and to make us clean. This is demonstrated by this teaching today. So let us cling to him and ask that we be freed from all demonic subjugation and made clean from all uncleanlinesses.
Our unclean nature and slavery most times comes not from outside but from within us. Our family circle, our hearts, our actions that mares and dirties us, our moral life that is inimical with the spirit of God. This is seen in the first reading of today. King David was harassed by the son, Absalom who wanted to take over his role as King and to be enthroned as such even when his fathers was still alife. He went out and declared himself King of Israel and tried to kill the Father King David. And his father kept running away from him.
Also, our enemies can equally come from the many actions we may have done in the past. Our wickedness, our insincerity and our acts of evil are always shadows pursuing us in life. The man who comes to curse King David came from the house of Saul. He was aggrieved by David’s exploits on his father Saul’s family before taking over the kingship from Saul. Even though David did not act wickedly then or take forcefully the kingship of Saul yet the aggrieved still visited him with curses and hostility. We must always act with good conscience to everyone and never try to hurt anyone in this journey of life.
The protective hands, rescuing mission and releasing power of Christ will continue to visit us and repel all demonic attacks and evil intentions of humanity from our lives.
Heavenly Father, your power to save us is again assured us. You delivered and saved this man possessed by the evil spirit and you freed him and gave him back his senses and his life. Lord, continue to do the same in our lives. Free us from all depressing and frustrating situations. Give us back our lives. Deliver us from all sicknesses, demonic attacks, oppressing situations and all that troubles our lives through Jesus Christ our Lord
Fr Norbert Uchuno
