Let’s focus on the afflicted man in this passage. There are some who would claim that he wasn’t actually possessed; he probably had epilepsy, schizophrenia, or some other brain disorder. Certainly that’s possible—but how many epileptics would know that Jesus was speaking to them? As followers of Christ, we have to believe that Jesus knew what he was talking about here. Yes, the devil does exist, and yes, he does want to harm us. That has always been—and still is—the teaching of the Catholic Church.
If we are trying to live a Christian life, we can have no doubt that the devil and his demons will try to hinder us. Jesus told us that while he comes to bring us life, Satan comes only to “steal and slaughter and destroy” (John 10:10).Who is Satan? The Catechism tells us that he is a fallen angel, who by his free choice, “radically and irrevocably rejected God” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 392). Pope Paul VI told us he is “a living, spiritual being, perverted and perverting.”
On our own, we are no match for the devil’s craftiness, cunning, and deceit.
It’s up to us to take up the fight, however. Are you or your loved ones being harassed or oppressed by something you can’t get a handle on? In Jesus’ name, take a stand in faith against any spiritual dimension to this problem.But if we depend on Jesus, we never have to lose! His death on the cross has obliterated any claim that Satan ever had on us (Colossians 2:14-15). By the blood Jesus shed for us, and through the power of his resurrection, we “conquer overwhelmingly” any problem the devil can send against us (Romans 8:37).
“Lord Jesus, you are my deliverer. In your name, and by the power of your precious blood, I command all the forces of darkness to depart right now from my home and my family! Thank you for your victory on the cross!”Pray, as Jesus taught, for God to deliver you from evil. And don’t forget to call on the angels, especially St. Michael, who have been given a special calling to protect us. If you ask for God’s help, you will be victorious—because if there’s one thing the devil can’t stand up against, it’s humility!
• Could I really say: “I am fully free, master of myself? If I cannot say it of myself, then something in me is possessed by other powers. What do I do to expel this strange power?
• Today many people do not live, but are lived. Do not think, but they are thought by the means of communication, by mass media. Do not have a critical mind or way of thinking. They are not masters of themselves. How can this “devil” be expelled?
3) Reflection
• Sequence of the Gospels of the days of this week. Yesterday’s Gospel informed us concerning the first activity of Jesus: he called four persons to form the community with them (Mk 1, 16-10). Today’s Gospel describes the admiration of people before the teaching of Jesus (Mt 1, 21-22) and the first miracle when he expels the devil (Mk 1, 23-28).
The Gospel of tomorrow narrates the cure of Peter’s mother-in-law (Mk 1, 29-31), the healing of many sick persons (Mk 1, 32-34) and the prayer of Jesus in an isolated place (Mk 1, 35-39).
Mark gathers all these episodes which had been transmitted orally in the communities and he joins them together like bricks of one only wall. In the years 70’s, the year in which he writes, the Communities needed orientation. By describing how Jesus began his activity, Mark indicates what they should do and how, to announce the Good News. Mark gives them a catechesis, by telling the Communities the events of the life of Jesus.
• Jesus teaches with authority, differently from the way the Scribes do it. The first thing that the people perceive is the diverse way in which Jesus teaches. It is not so much the content, but rather the way in which he teaches that impresses the people. For this reason, by his different way, Jesus creates a critical conscience in people concerning the religious authority of that time. The people perceive, they compare and says: He teaches with authority, in a way different from the way the Scribes do it. The Scribes of that time taught quoting the authority. Jesus does not quote any authority, but he speaks beginning with his experience of God and of his life. His word is rooted in the heart.
• You have come to destroy us! In Mark, the first miracle is the expulsion of the devil. Jesus struggles and expels the power of evil which takes possession of persons and alienated them from themselves. The man possessed by the devil shouts: “I know who you are: You are the Holy One of God!” The man repeated the official teaching which presented the Messiah as the “Holy One of God”, that is as a High Priest, or like a King, Judge, Doctor or General.
• Jesus rebuked the evil spirit: “Be quiet! Come out of him!” The spirit threw the man into convulsions, and with a loud cry went out of him. Jesus restores the person to himself. He gives him back his conscience and his liberty. He makes the person recover his complete judgment (cf. Mk 5, 15).Even today also, many people live alienated from themselves, deceived by the power of mass media, means of communication, by propaganda of business. They repeat what they hear others say. They live as slaves of consumerism, oppressed by the power of money, threatened by debtors. Many think that their life is not as it should be if they cannot buy what the propaganda announces and recommends.
• A new teaching! He commands even the evil spirits. The first two signs of the Good News are these: his different way of teaching the things of God, and his power over evil spirits. Jesus opens a new road in order that people can attain purity. At that time, a person who was declared impure could not present himself/herself before God to pray and to receive the blessing promised by God to Abraham. He/she should first purify himself/herself.Then it was not easy, it was not easy yesterday, it is not easy today to do in such a way that a person begins to think and to act in a way diverse from the official ideology.
Now, purified by the contact with Jesus, persons could present themselves before God.These and many other laws and norms made the life of people very difficult and marginalized many persons who were considered impure, far from God.
This was for them a great Good News!