They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, ‘What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.’ At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.” vss. 27-28
Mark 1:25-28
The gospels all report that the casting out of demons was a part of Jesus’ healing ministry. In fact, encounters like the one Mark describes here caught people’s attention and boosted his reputation. We don’t talk much about demon possession now–it’s probably not even a recognized medical diagnosis. But for the people of Galilee it seems to have been a common occurrence, and Jesus had compassion for such folks. And there was something about him, his authoritative voice perhaps, that had an immediately cleansing effect on them. Of course this wasn’t the most important part of his ministry–his teaching is what set him apart, and that’s what we’re most interested in. But for the people of Capernaum, where Jesus began his ministry, the healing and casting out of demons is what gathered the crowds. Sometimes we forget that in our own congregations. We focus on the teaching and learning, but Jesus would have us looking out for the homeless and the street people as well. People with unclean spirits are walking our streets too. It bothers us, but we mostly avoid dealing with them. They make us uncomfortable with their loud voices and profanity–Jesus loved such as these. Surely there must be some way for us to do the same!
Thought for the Day: How do I react to the homeless among us?
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