Monday of the 4th week in ordinary time
2 Sam. 15: 13-14.30;16:5-13a Mark 5: 1-20
Theme: A testimony of God’s love
In the gospel reading of today from St. Mark, Jesus heals the demoniac, and drove out the legion that has held him captive for some time. It is interesting to point out the fact that the demons readily recognize Jesus, and they beg for his mercy, not to destroy them. We see that also in the gospel reading of today, they begged Jesus not to destroy them, but rather to send them into the herd of pigs, and that is exactly what happened. This was a man whose situation had become hopeless, and he was put in chains, yet no one could help him, until the arrival of Jesus Christ. Immediately he encountered Jesus, that was the end of his ordeal, and he was restored to good health by Jesus. He wanted to go with Jesus, but Jesus said no, he should rather go and bear testimony to what God has done in his life. He went about telling his friends what God has done for him. He was no longer in captive, but a free man, and Jesus Christ made it possible.
The demoniac had an encounter with Jesus and his life never remained the same, it changed for the better. In the same way we encounter Christ at different times in our lives, he grants our desires and requests, do you also bear testimony to the goodness of God in your life among your friends, or you keep it to yourself? We must learn to give testimony for what God has done in our lives. You never know, there may be somebody in your audience that needs that testimony for him or her to be strengthened and given hope for whatever situation he may be going through at that time.
This is one of the means through which we can encourage somebody else without knowing it. That person may have given up, thinking it is a hopeless situation, but hearing from you that it is not hopeless with God, may be all that is needed for that person to decide to hope for the best. This may be one of the reasons why Jesus refused that the demoniac should follow him, but rather that he should go and tell his friends what the Lord has done for him. Let every encounter you have with Jesus Christ count in your life, it is a privileged moment. May the Lord bless his words in our hearts in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit, Amen. Peace be with you.