Tuesday January 9, 2024

Mark 1:21-23

In their synagogue just then there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit and it shouted, ‘What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!

There was something different with his teaching. Unlike the Pharisees, Our Lord taught with authority. Not yelling and screaming, not coming on a private plane but he spoke with power and they felt it. Have you ever spoken with power and authority? It is said that we have all had an experience of power and we recognize it. The power of the government to govern you for example. We give them that power. But there is another power, the power of your experience. You can be an authority on the things you have experienced. You have power to speak to people who struggle with weight because it is your daily struggle or the power to comfort those who grieve because you know by experience how much it sucks. You are not a powerless being no no in fact you can drive out the demons that attack people in their weak moments because you fight those demons every day.

Talking about power, it is understood in two different ways from the world of scripture. The Latin speak of Potestas the power to rule. Think pontential. it is structural power. The Greeks speak of Exorcia that is the power to drive from within. Think exorcism…

Jesus had exorcia kind of power, he drove people through inspiration. I pray that you too embrace the Exorcia Holy Spirit force to be reckoned with.

The evil spirit in this man threw him down into convulsions. It was horrible to see and experience. You know, sometimes you too may be thrown down and experience pain before all is well. There is going to be pain… but you will be better for it. Healing is not for the weak!!!