Today’s Gospel story seems more fitting for the big-screen horror film than it does for a Scripture reading: a dramatic encounter between Jesus and an unclean spirit; a man with an unclean spirit who cannot be controlled, and even a flock of swine running into the sea and drowning.
It must have been some scene on the shores of the sea that Jesus crossed that day! This unclean spirit is strong. Chains and shackles cannot contain him. The victim is forced to live at the margins of society, bound by chains to a tombstone in a cemetery —he is ostracized from his friends and family. Mark couldn't have described a person more alien than this man possessed by a legion. Yet, the demon is no match for Jesus. When Jesus said, “Come out,” they came out. But, in cutting through the imagery, we see a clear formula about how we can welcome Jesus into our hearts, and how we are called to respond.
The possessed man that Jesus encounters in this journey may be a reflection of all of us.
A legion of demons plagues us on every level, from the individual to the social: anxiety, depression, poverty, and war, indeed; but also doubt, insecurity, gossip, and estrangement from those we love. Yes, they happen to be a legion.
Jesus is in the business of healing, restoration, and newness of life. He restores the possessed man to a relationship with his friends and family. He heals his soul. He gives him new life.
He wants to heal us too, to restore us to relationships with our friends and family and to give us new life.
So, yes, the imagery of possessions, demons, and suicidal pigs is undoubtedly spectacular and fit for a horror movie scene! But the part we don’t see in horror movies is that a man is freed from the shackles that bind him. And the free man then goes home and tells his family and friends his good news.
My prayer is that we don’t become complacent with our own healing encounters with Jesus but rather that they inspire us to something more – that we will share this good news with others with zeal and passion.
And this is the key – it is not enough just to be healed, but we need to be intentional about sharing this with others.
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