Wednesday, February 3, 2016

The man possessed by many demons announces Jesus’ healing for him



February 1, 2016

Monday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1

15:13An informant came to David with the report, “The children of Israel have transferred their loyalty to Absalom.” 15:14At this, David said to all his servants
who were with him in Jerusalem: “Up! Let us take flight, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Leave quickly, lest he hurry and overtake us, then visit disaster upon us and put the city to the sword.”

15:30As David went up the Mount of Olives, he wept without ceasing. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. All those who were with him also had their heads covered and were weeping as they went.

16:5As David was approaching Bahurim, a man named Shimei, the son of Gera
of the same clan as Saul’s family, was coming out of the place, cursing as he came.
16:6He threw stones at David and at all the king’s officers, even though all the soldiers, including the royal guard, were on David’s right and on his left.

16:7Shimei was saying as he cursed: “Away, away, you murderous and wicked man!
16:8The LORD has requited you for all the bloodshed in the family of Saul, in whose stead you became king, and the LORD has given over the kingdom to your son Absalom. And now you suffer ruin because you are a murderer.”[1]

16:9Abishai, son of Zeruiah, said to the king: “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over, please, and lop off his head.” 16:10But the king replied: “What business is it of mine or of yours, sons of Zeruiah, that he curses?
Suppose the LORD has told him to curse David; who then will dare to say, ‘Why are you doing this?”

16:11Then the king said to Abishai and to all his servants: “If my own son, who came forth from my loins, is seeking my life, how much more might this Benjaminite do so? Let him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.
16:12Perhaps the LORD will look upon my affliction and make it up to me with benefits for the curses he is uttering this day.”

16:13David and his men continued on the road, while Shimei kept abreast of them on the hillside, all the while cursing and throwing stones and dirt as he went.

Responsorial Psalm

R. (8a) Lord, rise up and save me.

2O LORD, how many are my adversaries! Many rise up against me! 3Many are saying of me, “There is no salvation for him in God.”

R. Lord, rise up and save me.

4But you, O LORD, are my shield; my glory, you lift up my head! 5When I call out to the LORD, He answers me from His holy mountain.

R. Lord, rise up and save me.

6When I lie down in sleep, I wake again, for the LORD sustains me. 7I fear not the myriads of people arrayed against me on every side.

R. Lord, rise up and save me.

Alleluia Luke 7:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A great prophet has arisen in our midst
and God has visited His people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel 

1Jesus and His disciples came to the other side of the sea, to the territory of the Gerasenes.[2] 2When He got out of the boat, at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met Him.[3]

3The man had been dwelling among the tombs, and no one could restrain him any longer, even with a chain. 4In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains, but the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles smashed, and no one was strong enough to subdue him.

5Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsides he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones. 6Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before him, 7crying out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me!”[4]

8(He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”) 9He asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “Legion is my name. There are many of us.”[5] 10And he pleaded earnestly with him not to drive them away from that territory.

11Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside.[6] 12And they pleaded with him, “Send us into the swine. Let us enter them.” 13And he let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine. The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea, where they were drowned.

14The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the town and throughout the countryside. And people came out to see what had happened. 15As they approached Jesus, they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion, sitting there clothed and in his right mind. And they were seized with fear. 
16Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happened to the possessed man and to the swine. 17Then they began to beg him to leave their district.

18As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with Him. 19But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead, “Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in His pity has done for you.”[7]

20Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed.



Notes on Readings:

[1] 2 Samuel 16:8 - Bloodshed . . . Saul: refers to the episode recounted in 2 Samuel 21:1-14.
[2] Mark 5:1 - The territory of the Gerasenes: thea reference is to pagan territory; hcompare with Isaiah 65:1. Another reading is "Gadarenes"; see the footnote on Matthew 8:28.
[3] Mark 5:2-6 - The man was an outcast from society, dominated by unclean spirits (Mark 5:8, 13), living among the tombs. The prostration before Jesus (Mark 5:6) indicates Jesus' power over evil spirits. 
[4] Mark 5:7 - What have you to do with me?: compare with Mark 1:24 and see the footnote on John 2:4. 
[5] Mark 5:9 - Legion is my name: the demons were numerous and the condition of the possessed man was extremely serious; compare with Matthew 12:45. 
[6] Mark 5:11 - Herd of swine: see the footnote on Matthew 8:30. 
[7] Mark 5:19 - Go home: Jesus did not accept the man's request to remain with Him as a disciple (Matthew 5:18), yet invited him to announce to his own people what the Lord had done for him, proclaim the gospel message to his pagan family that is; compare with Mark 1:14, 39; 3;14; 13:10.

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Dear Humanity,

I personally encourage everyone to emulate JESUS' values on LOVE, FAITH, HOPE
and CHARITY, as the humanity has been a failure; which resulted to the more than two (2) years of pandemic and its after-effects on economy, not only here in the Philippines but worldwide.

And the saddest part of it, is that, it affected the POOREST of the POOR to even extremely be more poorer, in exchange of the affluent to be more richer.

Thank you and may GOD bless you and the whole family to have an enjoyed life's journey at home, Church, schools/universities, corporate commitments, public and places of interest.