The scene in today’s Gospel is busy, to say the least. We meet a man who is thrashing about, crying out and abusing himself with stones. No one can restrain him. Three times Mark tells us he is dwelling among the tombs – whatever has possessed him has driven him towards oblivion and death.
If we are honest, we know that there are many strong, negative forces—“unclean spirits”—that can grip us and send us to dwell among the tombs. They truly are “Legion”—suffering, abandonment, anxiety, despair, failure, fear. Any of these can take hold and obscure who each of us truly is: a child of God.
The Good News, however, is that Jesus has the power to drive out these spirits, to clothe us in peace, and restore us to ourselves. How has Jesus walked with me in difficult moments? Where do I need Jesus to walk with me today?
—Dan Finucane teaches theology and coordinates Campus Ministry activities at St. Louis University High School in St. Louis MO.