4th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B); 1-28-18

Dt 18:15-20; Ps 95; 1 Cor 7:32-35; Mk 1:21-28

Deacon Jim McFadden; (New) Folsom Prison

 

         The Gospel reading of the 4^th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Mark 1:21-28) narrates the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry in which he breaks into the world of illusion and of the demonic and overcomes it. Our world of darkness and sickness, which seems to be the pattern, is cast out. While it looks like the world of exploitation and domination is having its day, Jesus, however, teaches and lived in such a way that His Father’s way will have His day, which is the day of the Resurrection, which becomes the Day of Victory over darkness and possession.

So, we hear in the Gospel that Jesus with his small community of disciples, has entered Capernaum, situated on the northwest side of the Sea of Galilee. It was the city where Peter lived and which was the largest city in Galilee at that time.

Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus went straight to the Synagogue where people gathered to reverence the Torah and receive instruction. It is in sacred space and sacred time that Jesus teaches. He asserts his right to proclaim the sacred covenant tradition and to explore its profound meanings.

We’re not told what Jesus taught because in Mark’s Gospel, his teachings are in deeds and actions. His teachings left a profound impression because, unlike the scribes and Pharisees, he taught “as one having authority.” Jesus taught differently because he didn’t have to back up everything with a quote and support his teachings with extrinsic authority: “I say this because it says so in the Scriptures.”

Jesus spoke instead with the authority of God which means that in his human words the power of the Word of God could be felt. Jesus, the Word of God, corresponds to the truth, which is why Jesus revealed to Thomas that “I am the Truth.” So, Jesus knew what he was talking about. He was not a conveyor belt for someone else’s teaching but was teaching from what he knew. Jesus was teaching from “soul experience”: from his own experience of the Father which he knew before the beginning of time. Jesus spoke and acted in the person of God. He is Immanuel—God among us! He is Yahweh in the Flesh! So, Jesus’s teaching have a natural conviction to it. It is the sort of wisdom that convicts and converts because it comes directly from God.

The question is do we want to hear the Word of God and accept the demands of discipleship and change our lives?   We want to change, but in so many ways we are being strangled to death by demons like the man possessed in today’s Gospel. On one hand we have the Good News of Jesus, and on the other we have the darkness of prison culture. We are caught in dysfunction and sin, and try as we may, we don’t seem able to rid ourselves of their shackles. So, with the unclean spirit we shout at Jesus, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?”

The answer to that is “yes!” Jesus wants to deflate our overly inflated ego, which seeks to be in charge, to be in control, to be preoccupied with status, comfort, and security. If that becomes our posture before reality, we’re not going to have a very happy life because the Ego is simply too big and unreal to listen to the Truth.

But, as the Evil One gets close to Jesus, it recognizes Jesus for who he is: “I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”   The demon recognizes that Jesus is more than a wise teacher or a powerful healer.   He is the prophet alluded to in Deuteronomy who is a spokesperson for God—who speaks God’s words, in God’s name, and with God’s authority. Jesus does this and more because, as “the Holy One of God,” Jesus reveals the person of God and the will of God because “he is the perfect image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15).

But, the demonic illusory Self resists; it has to because, otherwise, it’s afraid that it will die. So, what does Jesus say to evil? “Be quiet! Come out of him!” With the power of his word alone, Jesus frees the person from the evil one.   Jesus silences the evil that dwells within and disconnects it.   He doesn’t destroy it, however; our sin doesn’t really go away. We carry it with us as a burden—that’s why we’re in need of continual conversion and why we have the Sacrament of Reconciliation.   But, by disconnecting evil, Jesus does not allow its power to destroy us or for us to destroy other people and we can then hear His words.

What is the people’s response? “What is this? A new teaching with authority?” He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” Brothers, there is something new and different happening here, but we have to have ears that can hear and eyes that can see.   When we stand before the Word of God, we should be amazed because it has the power to astonish us to the very core of our being.  

            Brothers, we need to be open to the Gospel, spoken by the Jesus, the Word of God. The Gospel changes the heart, changes life, transforms evil inclinations into good intentions.  It frees those who are slaves to the many evil spirits of the world. The Gospel is the Good News because it is capable of changing people!

On fire with the Gospel, all Christians are called to share the Good News with others. But, one may ask: Why should people listen to me? For one thing, you are striving to surrender to our Lord, and gradually you will become an effective sign of His Resurrected presence, and others will sense that reality.   Always remember that the Gospel has the power to change lives. But, it only has the power to do so when we allow ourselves to be transformed by it. We always need to stand in our journey with a posture of readiness to receive the Truth. By receiving his Word and abiding in Jesus, we, too, can become holy and share in his divine life, and you can do it right here and right now at Folsom Prison. Amen.