Monday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
I met a young man several years ago who was an alcoholic and drug addict. His life was in shambles because of his addictions. This young man had recently been released from prison for drug charges and attempting to kill his wife. He had lost everything. After his release from prison, he was placed on a waiting list for admission to a treatment facility and, in the meantime, attended meetings several times a day trying to get sober. When he finally got admitted as an inpatient he was still drinking heavily and using other substances. One day several months later, I ran into him and was startled by his appearance. Initially, I did not recognize him. He told me he had been clean and sober for 5 months and that it was truly an act of God that had saved him.
In today’s Scriptures, one of the common themes is the problem of evil. In the reading from 2 Samuel, David and his men are leaving Jerusalem when they are approached by a man of by the name of Shimei. The behavior of this fellow is nothing less than bizarre; he approaches them cursing and yelling and throwing rocks at them. David’s men want to kill him but David restrains them; Shimei ends up continuing the journey with them, staying at a distance, still cursing and hurling dirt and stones all the way. The Gospel reading relates the story of the healing of the Gerasene demoniac. This particular healing is mentioned in all three synoptic Gospels; the details and depth of this story are rich and dramatic. Jesus and his disciples have just crossed the sea from Galilee and enter the Gentile territory of Gerasenes when Jesus is approached by a man possessed by many demons. He has been living ‘among the tombs’, hurting himself, and screaming. His family and the townspeople had been unable to control him and he had been rejected by everyone. Jesus identifies the demons and casts them into a herd of swine. What I noticed in particular was what Jesus said to the man after he had exorcised the unclean spirits. The passage says the man “pleaded (with Jesus) to remain with him.” Who could blame this poor fellow for wanting to stay with Jesus after the tortured existence he’d endured? But Jesus knew that there was something else this man must do. Jesus told him, “Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.” (Mk 5:19). This man could bring greater glory to God by sharing his story—by giving his testimony about how God had delivered him from unthinkable evil. This was already apparent by the stunned reaction of the townspeople who witnessed the profound change in this man who was now sitting quietly, clothed, and ‘in his right mind’.
That young man I spoke about has been clean and sober for over 6 years now; he is active and employed and has gained custody of his young daughter. Out of everything in his abundant life, he says that sharing his testimony with others is the most powerful way to spread the message of the Gospel. While few of us have experienced the dramatic healing of the Gerasene demoniac or my young friend, we have all experienced the touch of God every single day of our lives. These experiences are worth remembering and sharing; these experiences give us encouragement when we are low and inspire others to seek direct evidence of God in their own lives. Most of all, the experiences of God that we share bring a special glory to Him in a way nothing else can.
"Most Holy Father, Source of all Goodness,
I am filled with gratitude for what you have done in my life.
Give me the willingness to share with others
exactly how you have been the sole source
of goodness, truth, and light in my life.
That my testimony may bring you glory.
With the intercession of Mary,
In Jesus’ name. Amen."
- Gail Lyman