Mark 1:25-28
“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.’” vs. 27
Occasionally we hear people talk of their inner demons, those voices that speak from our dark side, and that seek to divert us from our intended goodness. For some those spirits are uncontrollable and cause every manner of difficulty. Our experiences with such persons are usually uncomfortable…and we wish there were ways to provide healing. The gospels tell us that Jesus was able to cast out demons and that it was a regular part of his ministry. In fact, his ability to command the obedience of unclean spirits was one of the reasons for his early fame in Galilee. We don’t quite know what to do with such stories. On the one hand they seem primitive and strange…and yet we know perfectly well that demons are present among us too. We just call them by different names and most often rely on medication to control them. It’s good that through the passage of time we’ve figured out new ways to cure diseases and cast out demons, and we can be grateful for medical advances. But it’s also important for us to remember that there is a spiritual dimension to illness and disease and it’s not always a matter of finding the right pill! Healings and exorcisms can often require an authoritative voice and a connection with the mysterious power of God. And prayer is more than a placebo!
Thought for the Day: What happens in an exorcism?
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