From the holy Gospel according to Matthew: 8:28-34
At that time, when Jesus arrived at the other side of the lake, in the territory of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs came out of the tombs and went to meet him. They were so fierce that no one dared to pass along that road. The demoniacs shouted at Jesus: “What do you want from us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?”
Not far away, a large herd of pigs was feeding. The demons pleaded with Jesus: “If you are going to drive us out, send us into those pigs.” He answered them: “Very well.”
Then the demons came out of the men and entered the pigs; the whole herd rushed down a steep bank into the lake, and the pigs drowned.
Those who tended the pigs fled to the city to report all these events and what had happened to the demoniacs.
Then the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and upon seeing him, they begged him to leave their territory.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Reflection:
“Two demon-possessed men came out to meet him”
Jesus arrives at the other shore, reaching the region of the Gerasenes, located in the Decapolis. The inhabitants of Gerasa had not yet received the Good News of the Kingdom of God; they lived shrouded in the darkness that accompanies the absence of the light of God’s Kingdom.
Forces of evil were present among them, and these forces were unwilling to relinquish even the slightest hold on these men and women. The paths they dominated were rife with violence, and consequently, no one dared to traverse them. These are not paths of life and peace where a traveler might enjoy Creation or Nature; they are paths of darkness, suffering, and pain. The forces of evil are immensely powerful where darkness reigns.
“The whole herd rushed down the cliff”
Yet Jesus arrives at this shore, and His light brings life and hope to a region steeped in darkness; the Lord’s presence on that shore represents the victory of light over darkness, of peace over violence, and of hope over despair.
Today, too, the Lord must reach so many “regions”: lives enveloped in the pain of illness, men and women struggling to survive in a world dominated by economic and strategic interests—”paths” that are perilous to walk if one wishes to remain true to the honesty of God’s light.
Jesus is the light that comes to each of us to break the power of evil; we must not allow that force to shatter the fellowship born of having God as our Father. Jesus, the light of the world, illuminates our lives and fosters bonds of solidarity within us that dispel the shadows of human selfishness.
Action for the Day:
- Recognize your fear: The disciples panicked because they forgot Jesus was with them in the boat. When stressed, pause and remember that you are never alone.
- Practice active surrender: Do not panic or try to muscle through everything alone. Instead of panicking, pray for peace and trust that God’s grace can calm the chaos around you.
- Reframe your focus: Shift your attention away from the size of the “storm” and focus instead on the power of God.
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