In the Gospel reading today, Jesus teaches in the Synagogue in Capernaum. He teaches with a surprising authority, a conviction in his message that surpasses the usual recitation of the scribes. His authority is so clear that an unclean spirit recognizes him and calls him “the Holy One of God.” Jesus responds by casting out the spirit, healing and liberating the man.
Recalling that epiphany means “showing forth,” this is the 3rd time in Mark that Jesus’ divine connection and authority are revealed. First was the thundering voice of God at his baptism. Second was his compelling invitation to Simon and Andrew to “come and fish for people.” Casting out this unclean spirit reveals Jesus’ healing power, and launches his public ministry.
“First acts” are important in the gospels. They foreshadow the themes that will weave throughout Jesus’ ministry in a particular telling of the Good News. Here, in Mark, Jesus’ first act is to cast out an unclean spirit. For Mark, Jesus’ whole ministry is about standing up to evil, naming it, disempowering it, and making way for the kingdom of God.
Mark’s world was full of spiritual forces that distort the world and persuade humans to follow them by overwhelming their hearts and minds. Jesus was driven into the desert by the Holy Spirit and tempted there by a demonic spirit. The man in the synagogue is known by his neighbors to be possessed by an unholy spirit.
Our world, too, is filled with spiritual forces that desire to control our hearts and minds. Things we get caught up in, that get out of control, that we struggle against. Addiction that fractures lives and families. Internalized and systemic racism that blindly perpetuates oppression. Violence in word and action as a way to solve differences. Sexual objectification of women. Dis-ease and dislocation perpetuated by social media. Our participation in the slow warming of our planet. These are the demons of our day.
We may not call them demons, but they act like it. They insinuate themselves into our minds, influence our thoughts and actions. They cunningly sidestep or co-opt our efforts to overcome them. Attempting to escape them feels futile, as they rob God’s beautiful and beloved children of life and hope and opportunities to thrive.
Jesus brings salvation. Salvus, the Latin root word of salvation, means “health.” Health for all people is the 3rd Epiphany of Jesus. Jesus brings health, in body, mind, and spirit, to our lives and our communities. Health and wholeness and thriving replace insidious and alluring evils.
Jesus didn’t set out in his ministry to overthrow the power structures. He set out to meet people where they were. One day at a time, one person at a time. Loving every person as God’s own, he cast out evil when he encountered it, just as he healed the sick and preached hope to the hopeless and forgotten. Jesus’ public ministry begins with one courageous act of silencing and rejecting evil.
As followers of Jesus, we join him in confronting the evil spirits. Speaking with boldness and clarity, we bring healing and liberation with our words and deeds. Our ministry, in continuation of Jesus’, is the work of our whole lives.
With courage, we confront the evil spirits that challenge us and draw us away from spiritual health. With faith, we support one another as we learn and work together to address habits and systems that threaten the life or thriving of any person or the creation. We bear witness to God’s salvific love with our actions so that we are a beacon of light and hope for all people.
We may not make monumental changes that end systemic racism or reverse global warming in our lifetimes. We CAN meet people where they are. We can confront the evil spirits that challenge each of us in our own lives. With God’s help, even the most daunting death-dealing forces can be overcome. With God’s help, the deepest wounds can be healed.
Convicted by our own knowledge of God’s love and grace, we follow Jesus’ example of word and action. Showing forth the power of love, naming evil when we see it, and healing and liberating all God’s children.
In the name of the Holy One of God, Amen.
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