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Gospel: Mark 1: 21-28
Then they came to Capernaum,
and on the sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and taught.
The people were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.
In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit;
he cried out, “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,
“Quiet! Come out of him!”
The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.
All were amazed and asked one another,
“What is this?
A new teaching with authority.
He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.”
His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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When I think of a sacred space, I think of this church. This altar. This pulpit. The Saints and the Stations of the Cross that line our walls.
Sacred spaces are filled with holy things that point us to God.
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In today’s Gospel, there’s a man with an unclean spirit present in the synagogue. This was a holy place, so why is he there?
Surely, he doesn’t belong.
Or does he?
Maybe he went to the synagogue that day praying for a cure.
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Have you ever wondered who or what possessed him?
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The Gospel only tells us it was an, “unclean spirit.”
In the ancient world, many diseases and conditions which people could neither understand nor control were lumped together into the category of “unclean spirits.”
While this man could’ve been haunted by a demon, he also could’ve suffered from epilepsy; migraines; dementia; or simply an uncontrollable temper.
Perhaps he was a conflicted man, both a believer and a sinner; a man who knew he was under the influence of something stronger than himself.
Whatever it was, this “unclean spirit” tortured him, isolating him from others.
That’s the real evil here.
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This is the first miracle Jesus performs in Mark’s Gospel.
He inaugurates his ministry in the synagogue – in a holy place – casting the unclean spirit out of a tortured man.
Because that’s where the Kingdom of God always begins to grow, taking root within the hearts of people, who though imperfect, believe that God has the power to act in their lives.
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Sometimes unclean spirits take up residence within us, too.
Like this man, we carry them into sacred spaces – into church, into our marriage, into our families, into our friendships, and into our workplaces.
They isolate us, rob us of our freedom, and damage our relationships with others.
In his Letter to the Galatians, Paul cautions us against falling prey to some of these vices, such as: laziness, immorality, impurity, hatred, jealousy, selfishness, excessive drinking, and envy.
Things that can easily take root in any human heart.
Paul himself says, “What I do, I do not understand. For I do not do what I want, but what I hate…So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.”
Even Paul wrestled with unclean spirits.
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What are some of the unclean spirits lodged in our hearts? What might Jesus seek to cast out from our lives? From our community? From the world around us?
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The last year has taken many down a road filled with heartbreak, suffering, and anxiety, leaving us in need of the Lord’s healing touch.
Consider the children who will need social and emotional healing after learning online for nearly a year. Or parents working from home, also staring at a screen, instead of engaging with their colleagues.
Or the toll taken on frontline medical workers and those quarantined, denied the comfort of human touch.
Or the soul of our nation, which has been ripped apart politically.
Or the needs of our own community, which has been scattered by this virus. When the coast clears, we’ll have lots of work to do in bringing our community back together.
Then there’s the healing we also may need on a personal level.
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So, how can Jesus heal us today?
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There are a variety of ways, but consider three examples.
First, the Lord heals us in the Eucharist, which is the Promised Presence of Christ. As Pope Francis says, “the Eucharist is not a prize for the perfect.”
It’s a healing balm for the soul.
Secondly, the Lord heals us with his Word. As it’s written in the Letter to the Hebrews, “The Word of God is living and effective.”
It’s powerful; it changes lives. It’s changed my life!
This is why Deacon McKenna and I are offering a six-week study of Mark’s Gospel starting on Ash Wednesday. Join us! Come and see how deeply the Lord’s Word can impact our lives.
Finally, the Lord heals us in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, removing guilt and burdens we no longer need to carry.
Lent is approaching – the healing grace of reconciliation is available. I’d encourage everyone to consider coming to our communal penance service on March 15th.
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“If today you hear his voice, harden not your heart,” the Psalmist says today.
Our hearts – and by extension, our lives – are sacred spaces. But like the man in the Gospel, sometimes “unclean spirits” take up residence within us. It’s part of our fallen nature.
But the Lord stands ready to drive those things out of us. “Behold, I stand and knock,” Jesus says. “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in.”
Then, come Lord Jesus.
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