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2 Samuel 15:13-14, 30, 16:5-13
Psalm 3:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
Mark 5:1-20
Summary
"‘Go home to your family and announce to them
all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.’"
Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis
what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed.”
Reflection
In today’s Gospel, the man cured of an unclean spirit begged Jesus to stay with
him. Instead, Jesus sends him away to spread the news about what he has
done. God heals us and give us the grace to go forth and do his will.
Jesus encounters a loathsome individual. Try to imagine someone so horrible and
revolted as the man in this story, so terrorized by a demon that he lives among
the tombs. Yet Jesus looked upon him with compassion. What did Jesus see in
him? A brother? Maybe he saw him as a fellow traveler in human form, weak like
himself, distinguished only by degree. At any rate, he drew from him what was
good and sent the rest away. The people of the village reacted negatively be-
cause Jesus upset the economy. But a life had been saved.
The first time I went to Union Station with my young son and daughter I learned
much from these small children. Union Station is a homeless shelter and kitchen.
It was our charge to feed dinner to the
many who came into the shelter. I was
busy preparing dinner and my young son
and daughter were in the dining room
setting the tables. When the dinner was
ready the homeless men and women
processed by the kitchen window to re-
ceive their dinners. My son and daugh-
ter, both under five years old, were sit-