The Catholic Calendar for Monday, January 29, 2001
The Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Hebrews 11:32-40
Psalm 31:20-24
Mark 5:1-20
Full text: http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/index.htm
A Reflection on Today's Scripture:
"The man had taken refuge among the tombs..."
What struck me full force, in a way it never had before, is the
simple metaphor that is implicit in this story. This is not to say
that the story is written for the metaphor, but that the saintly
writer was so inspired as to include in his writing the details that
we see here.
A man who is possessed by an evil spirit lives among the tombs. That
is, the man who is possessed by evil, who willingly gives his life
over to evil lives essentially among the dead. He cannot escape the
tombs by himself. It takes the power of Jesus to free him from the
tombs.
In a different place Jesus says, "Leave the dead to bury the dead."
Is that perhaps a reference back to this central event? In yet
another he refers to the Pharisees and Saducees as "You whitewashed
sepulchers." Once again we associate evil with death.
When we engage in evil actions, we enter the kingdom of the dead. We
drive a knife through our own souls that only Jesus can pull out.
Fortunately we have a savior in Jesus who will do just that. Even if
we give ourselves over to the power of evil spirits and choose to
dwell in the city of the dead, we can look upon Jesus from whatever
distance and say, "Help me!" And like the good shepherd He will leave
the 99 to rescue the one. Jesus is our hope and our salvation, let us
praise Him every moment of our lives.
- JuandelaCruz, TOC
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