Jesus then went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority.
In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, "Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are- the Holy One of God!" Jesus rebuked him and said, "Be quiet! Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing any harm. They were all amazed and said to one another, "What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out." And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.
The Word in other words
My first encounter with exorcism happened in my parish when a young girl came with an amulet which had been handed down from generation to generation. She was shouting, cursing and had extraordinary strength. When the smoke of the incense touched against her skin, she shrieked and her voice changed. When the Church bells signaled for the Angelus, she screamed in pain so that she elevated one meter above the Church floor. As the prayer ended, she also slowly relaxed and all those who were around marveled at the power of prayer.
Jesus in the gospel today deals with demons to show he possesses the key to life. This authority shows the presence and concern of the rule of God on behalf of those who turn to God in time of need. Jesus meets the challenge and removes the presence and power of evil from the man without destroying the man himself. What a picture of Jesus' power! Indeed, the power of the demon is no match to the power of God.
The story of this healing closes with a profound impact on those who witnessed it. They saw that Jesus approached the evil forces with authority and power. We might picture the asking one another: "What could it mean? Where does such power come from? Luke leaves the miracle as an event to ponder on. The demon's confession suggests the answer: Jesus is the Holy One of God, and his power exceeds that of the forces of evil.
Jesus conquered evil 2000 years ago, and is still conquering evil today. Let Him do it in your life and pray that He will do it in the lives of your loved ones as well.
- Fr. Felmar Castrodes Fiel, SVD (WBC, Cebu City)
