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Gospel: luke 4: 31-37
Jesus 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,
“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 him 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 Gospel of the Lord.
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“What is there about his word?”
People ask themselves after witnessing Jesus cast out a demon from a man in the synagogue.
This becomes the first exorcism that Jesus performs in Luke’s Gospel, and the first time Luke makes explicit mention of Christ’s authority, revealed through his speech.
Jesus reveals that God’s Word is living and effective, sharper than a two-edged sword. It heals; purifies; casts out evil; brings peace to souls held in captivity; and offers wisdom to those who seek it.
Today Jesus uses his speech to heal a man possessed by a demon. Later, he forgives people caught in sin; heals a centurion’s servant from a distance; heals a woman who had been hemorrhaging for twelve years; and even brings a young girl back from the brink of death.
All with the power of his word.
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What has been my own experience with God’s Word?
Do I rely upon the it to guide my daily decisions? Do I turn to the Word for strength and consolation? Do I have a favorite verse?
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Personally, I echo the experience of the prophet Jeremiah, who proclaimed, “When I found your words, I devoured them. They became my happiness and the joy of my heart, because I bore your name, O Lord, God of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16).
May the same Word that brought healing to the demoniac in today’s Gospel bring guidance, strength, and nourishment to our souls today.
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Image credits: (1) Journey Online (2) Biblword.net (3) Psephizo