The news of Him spread everywhere in the surrounding region
Today's Gospel passage takes us to Capernaum. In contrast to his hometown, here Jesus is well received. Anyway, if we followed the Gospels, we would notice that Christ often visits this city. When He teaches in the synagogue, everyone is amazed at His teaching because it is so powerful. It is easy to distinguish a typical teacher from Jesus. It is precisely this teaching with Force that is the essential difference. In another passage we read: He taught them like one having authority, not like the scribes.
So how did the scribes teach? Perhaps, like many modern teachers. They gave lectures. They put themselves in the position of an oracle who can answer any question and explain all dilemmas. Perhaps they were juggling quotes from prophets, inventing their own fingertip interpretations. And most of all, they said one thing, the others were doing. People - contrary to appearances of people who hold the reins of power - are not as stupid as they seem. They can tell the difference between a cynic, a populist and from a real authority, a real teacher. Hence the fascination with the person of Jesus ... because His teaching had the power. Why? Because he took his knowledge "at the Source". After all, he said: " The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works." People can see that He knows what He's talking about ... and He is genuine. There is no hint of hypocrisy in Jesus. He does not have to prove his wisdom to anyone or to show off his knowledge. He does not have to stand on high places and contemptuously look at the simple people. This is what the teachers of Israel did, who maybe had knowledge, but they had no Power.
However, this is not the end of the Gospel for today ... there is a possessed man in the synagogue. From this passage, it is easy to conclude that being possessed does not exclude the possibility of coming to the temple. Perhaps this man was sheltering himself in the synagogue against the attacks of an evil spirit, he assumed that nothing bad would happen to him in God's house. This time, however, Satan made his presence known in the synagogue. This manifestation was caused by the presence of Jesus. He started screaming out loud; Oh, what do you want from us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: Holy God. The evil spirit knows who he is dealing with, he knows who this secret teacher is who teaches with power. Jesus silences him in one sentence and expels the evil from this man ... The whole synagogue is amazed ... and everyone asks What is that word? With authority and power, he commands even the unclean spirits, and they come out.
The people were amazed when Jesus taught ... this teaching was interrupted by Satan's manifestation. Certainly, those present in the synagogue must have been terrified by the sight of a man who is thrown with great force in the middle, but nothing happens to him. Many may have wondered if someone can stand up to such a force of evil ... plus these cries: Jesus of Nazareth, we know who you are. It is then that Jesus shows that His teaching with power is stronger than the most powerful manifestation of a demon. People in the synagogue were amazed at what they saw. Surely the scribes were also present. They must have realized that such miracles could only be performed by God Himself. But they did not see, they did not guess who Jesus was; they were just spreading everywhere about the unusual phenomenon they witnessed, that a mysterious teacher who translates the Scriptures differently from the Pharisees, with power, preformed in the synagogue the amazing miracle; he freed a man from the power of the demon.
How is it with us? Do we also spread the word about the miracles performed by Jesus?
Many of us certainly believe that Jesus is the Messiah. Many have accepted Him as Lord and Savior. But are we preaching the miracles that he works in our lives? Or maybe we don't notice it?
Much is said about the powerful manifestation of the power of evil. We hear that the Church has called many new exorcists. We read articles about spiritual threats, the invasion of neopaganism. People suffer caught up in their own sins or those of their loved ones. We complain so often that the authorities are fighting with the Church, that laws are being forced against Christian morality. Yes, I also pay attention to that. But how many of us realize that Jesus is above all, that since Jesus Christ is my Lord, He is Your Lord. He is also Lord of the whole universe. And His victory must be proclaimed everywhere, in every sphere, even in that sphere where it seems to us that there is total darkness.
We like so often paddle in our own mud of our sorrows and pains, that there is no job, that there is not enough until next check, that something hurts us, that the president, that the Social Insurance Institution, that hospitals, that the media, etc. Let's give it all to Him. Jesus is Lord. The more differently individuals try to deny it, the more we must confess it. Jesus is Lord. He dealt with the demons that persecuted the man of Capernaum without any problem. They threw him around the synagogue and Jesus spoke one sentence and the evil spirits had nothing to say ... they had to go.
So why should Jesus not deal with our problems ... the problems of our loved ones. With the problems of our local communities, our villages, cities, our country ... with the problems of the whole world. Statistics on drug addiction, alcoholism, crumbling marriages and abandoned children are terrifying. The scale of unemployment, social exclusion, the growing scale of poverty is terrifying. We get nervous when we look at the debt level, enterprises in decline, millions of people in exile. We ask why when we hear about millions of children murdered during abortions, when we hear about persecuted Christians, when wars are waged over natural resources. There are many examples ...
But let's not be powerless. Let's not be scared like the people in the synagogue at the sight of the possessed. Let us look at Jesus with confidence. He is waiting for our call. He will solve every situation. Let us just invite him to this situation, let us proclaim his glory. Let us invoke His name. Let us be sure that the Name of Jesus has power; every knee will bow to this name. If we pray in the Name of Jesus Christ, great miracles will be performed.
I witnessed it and I want to talk about it. I cannot keep silent, because the inhabitants of Capernaum were not silent, but spread everywhere what they witnessed Hence, each of us should proclaim the great works of God which are accomplished through Jesus Christ. Also, today. In an age of unbridled rationalism where there must be scientific proof for everything. Or it must be written on the Internet. The fact that Jesus is Lord will not be heard in the daily news. Each of us must find out about it personally. And then testify ... so that the news of him be spread everywhere in the surrounding region.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george