What?! Why did they want Jesus to leave them alone?

It could be that the owners of the pigs lost a lot of money when Jesus sent the herd over the cliff. Or maybe they were wondering what else might Jesus destroy in their city. How sad that they loved their swine more than their salvation.

But sometimes, that’s what we do too.

We welcome Jesus when He gives us blessings.

But we are annoyed by Him when He disturbs us.

He disturbs our peace and comfort.

He changes our lives.

He calls us to detach from things we love.

To the Jewish mind, a pig is dirty; it’s actually a symbol of sin.

These people didn’t want to lose their pigs because this would mean letting go of their lifestyle, of what is familiar or convenient. And many of us don’t want to let Jesus inconvenience us because we don’t want to change our life. Do you prefer your swine over your salvation?

Arun Gogna (gognuts@yahoo.com)

reflect

“Comfort zones are beautiful places, but nothing grows there.” (Unknown)

Disturb me, Lord. Amen. 

Saint Ariston and companions, pray for us.

Times were harsh four thousand years ago, and jealousy was easily fostered in people. Sarah demands that the sonship be given only to her son Isaac and not to Ishmael, the son of Hagar. Paul will feature these two sons in his argument regarding the nature of faith when he relates to the Galatians. Isaac is the son born through faith as Sarah couldn’t give birth due to her old age. Yet, he is born as a gift from an all-powerful God, proving that faith can bring about what is impossible. 

⁵ Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. ⁸ Isaac grew, and on the day of the child’s weaning, Abraham held a great feast. ⁹ Sarah noticed the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham playing with her son Isaac; ¹⁰ so she demanded of Abraham: “Drive out that slave and her son! No son of that slave is going to share the inheritance with my son Isaac!” ¹¹ Abraham was greatly distressed, especially on account of his son Ishmael. ¹² But God said to Abraham: “Do not be distressed about the boy or about your slave woman. Heed the demands of Sarah, no matter what she is asking of you; for it is through Isaac that descendants shall bear your name. ¹³ As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a great nation of him also, since he too is your offspring.” ¹⁴ Early the next morning Abraham got some bread and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. Then, placing the child on her back, he sent her away. As she roamed aimlessly in the wilderness of Beer-sheba, ¹⁵ the water in the skin was used up. So she put the child down under a shrub, ¹⁶ and then went and sat down opposite him, about a bowshot away; for she said to herself, “Let me not watch the child die.” As she sat opposite him, he began to cry. ¹⁷ God heard the boy’s cry, and God’s messenger called to Hagar from heaven: “What is the matter, Hagar? Don’t be afraid; God has heard the boy’s cry in this plight of his. ¹⁸ Arise, lift up the boy and hold him by the hand; for I will make of him a great nation.” ¹⁹ Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went and filled the skin with water, and then let the boy drink. ²⁰ God was with the boy as he grew up. 

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 34:7-8, 10-11, 12-13

R: The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

⁷ When the poor one called out, the Lord heard, and from all his distress he saved him. ⁸ The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. (R) ¹⁰ Fear the Lord, you his holy ones, for nought is lacking to those who fear him. ¹¹ The great grow poor and hungry; but those who seek the Lord want for no good thing. (R) ¹² Come, children, hear me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 13 Which of you desires life, and takes delight in prosperous days? (R) 

Gospel | Matthew 8:28-34

People being delivered from evil is one of the signs of the Gospel being preached. Jesus defeats and dispels the evil of sin from our lives. Through Baptism, we have been cleansed from sin. Let us take discipleship seriously so that evil will never return and the sins we repent of are defeated forever. 

Gospel Acclamation

The Father willed to give us birth by the word of truth that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

²⁸ When Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him. They were so savage that no one could travel by that road. ²⁹ They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?” ³⁰ Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding. ³¹ The demons pleaded with him, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.” ³² And he said to them, “Go then!” They came out and entered the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea where they drowned. ³³ The swineherds ran away, and when they came to the town they reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. ³⁴ Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district.

Reflect:

Do you believe that God has the power to save you? How has He healed and delivered you from evil and sin?

Read the Bible in one year! Read 2 CHRONICLES 4 - 6 today.

My first day in Rome many years ago was a shock. Hordes of gypsies would often harass clueless tourists and rob them of money and other valuables. But a local, who was acting as tourist guide to his guests, knew the drill. When the gypsies began swarming on one of his guests, the man simply yelled at them, “Via!” (Away with you!) The aggressive pickpockets, who were mostly young girls and young women, dispersed all of a sudden.

The man spoke only one word, but he spoke with authority. He yelled as someone who could not be swayed by a sudden show of numbers and aggression.

The two demoniacs in today’s Gospel passage were not just aggressive. They came out of their dwelling places—tombs, to be precise—and they were pretty violent. They were violent enough to dissuade people from passing that way. But they were also verbally abusive and loud: “What have we to do with You, Son of God?”

The details of the Gospel report are sketchy but detailed enough to see snippets of a valuable truth. The violent demoniacs surely knew who was in charge. They volunteered a way out for themselves, faced as they were with the One they rightly addressed as the “Son of God.” They begged Him: “If You cast us out, send us into the herd of pigs.” It took but a single word of command: “Go!” “Via!”

We are surrounded right now by more than just violence from demoniacs.

The same diabolical forces of corruption, selfish political posturings, and dynastic politics eat away our peace of mind.

We need to beg the Lord for that one word that spells doom for all evildoers and their ungodly plans against God and His people. We need to have faith in the Lord of history and the Lord of salvation.

Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

reflection question

How has the Lord protected you recently from evildoers or from any harm?

Speak but the word, O Lord, and we shall be healed. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _______________________________________