4th Monday of Ordinary Time (Mk. 5:1-20) “Time for a Pork Roast”
4th Monday of Ordinary Time (Mk. 5:1-20) “Time for a Pork Roast”
Most priests will say that they have been contacted at some time by someone who believes they are possessed. Usually, the person is in profound psychological trauma. Because their life is out of control, they come to believe that they are the victim of demonic possession. The belief about possession is usually connected to something they have heard. Maybe they have just seen a movie about someone being possessed. The power of suggestion is a powerful thing.
The people of Biblical times believed strongly that there were demons all around. You would find them in out of the way places. For that reason, the early Christian ascetics went out to the desert. They wanted to face down the devil on his turf. If they could resist temptation there, they believed they could anywhere.
The people that Jesus was ministering to believed that 10,000 demons were on a person’s right hand and 10,000 demons were on their left hand. Is it any wonder that the man who Jesus encountered was so distraught? He really believed that his life had been taken over by evil.
The only thing that will relieve a person who feels that they are possessed is to be believe that the demon or demons is driven away. In the modern world this may be accomplished by simply praying over the person. If someone believes that their house is possessed, the individual might have relief if their house is blessed.
Jesus sees that the man needs a strong sign that the demons have been driven away. That explains why the swine are driven into the sea. Pigs were considered an unclean animal by the Jews, a perfect animal to send a demon or demons into. Once the man sees what has happened, he returns to sanity. The whole episode shows the lengths to which Jesus will go to bring wholeness to a tortured mind.
Reflection Questions:
- Have I ever had the experience of being caught up in an evil situation? How did I feel?
- What did I do? Run away? Pray? Seek advice? What brought me relief?
Dear Parishioner,
This is the beginning of Catholic Schools week. We are fortunate in our community for a young person can be educated throughout their academic career in Catholic institutions. From preschool through graduate school a person can attend Catholic schools in the Quad Cities.
The first Catholic school that I attended was my seminary. I was 21 years old. I had attended five different public schools until that time. I had many fine teachers who were very dedicated. I met a wide variety of people who were of different races and religions. All that was a good experience.
Catholic institutions were somehow different. I was able to take my previous experiences and process them within the context of my faith. I was also able to have the many questions about my religion answered. I had courses in philosophy, religious studies and theology. All this opened my eyes a great deal. There was a concern about giving students a broad-based education.
If anyone who reads this has benefitted from a Catholic educational institution, this week is a good week to reflect on how that has touched your life.
May Our Lady and all the Angels and Saints watch over you today.
Fr. Mark