Gospel: Mark 5:1-20
Jesus and his disciples came to the other side
of the sea, to the territory of the Gerasenes. When he got out of the boat, at
once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met him. The man had been
dwelling among the tombs, and no one could restrain him any longer, even with a
chain. In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains, but the
chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles smashed, and no one was
strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsides
he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones. Catching sight of
Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before him, crying out
in a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?
I adjure you by God, do not torment me!” (He had been saying to him, “Unclean
spirit, come out of the man!”) He asked him, “What is your name?” He replied,
“Legion is my name. There are many of us.” And he pleaded earnestly with him
not to drive them away from that territory.
Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on
the hillside. And they pleaded with him, “Send us into the swine. Let us enter
them.” And he let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine.
The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea, where
they were drowned. The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the
town and throughout the countryside. And people came out to see what had
happened. As they approached Jesus, they caught sight of the man who had been
possessed by Legion, sitting there clothed and in his right mind. And they were
seized with fear. Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had
happened to the possessed man and to the swine. Then they began to beg him to
leave their district. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been
possessed pleaded to remain with him. But Jesus would not permit him but told
him instead, “Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in
his pity has done for you.” Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the
Decapolis what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Is there anyone in this world that is more powerful than Jesus? No one
for the simple reason that even demons
and unclean spirits are afraid of Him. If this is so; how come not everyone of
us gravitate towards Him? Because the power of Jesus is not of this world; and besides we normally equate power with position of influence and money.
Does Jesus occupy a position of influence? Does Jesus have money? Jesus
has none of these worldly trappings! If we would follow Jesus He would dislodge us
from our corrupt and worldly comfort zones and many who are already enslaved by
this world will not like this.
Jesus power is something that we feel in our hearts; it is
something that He gives us freely and oftentimes something that is not felt
and seen by worldly people. And people who love this present life more than the
real life after this present life is over and done with already.
How about you? You who profess to know Jesus and you who say that Jesus
is in your heart. What are you going to do? You have to find time to share
Jesus no matter how busy you are. Thus, you would be able to share the miracle
of Jesus which has transformed you to become who you are today. – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
No comments:
Post a Comment