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The Demoniacs of Gadara

by Momong   July 4th, 2007 [Wednesday]

Matthew 8: 28-34
Gen. 21:5,8-20 / Ps 34

The whole town set out to meet Jesus; and as soon as they saw him they implored him to leave their district.
(Matthew 8:34)

Guard against earthly obsessions
Strive only for the things divine;
Desire for worldly possessions
Drives men to the level of swine.

When Jesus reached the district of Gadara, two demoniacs confronted Him– so fierce that no one could pass that way. They screamed, “What do you want with us, Son of God? Have you come to torture us before the time?” Seeing a herd of pigs nearby, the devils pleaded with Jesus, “Send us to the herd of pigs”. He said to them, “Go then”, and they came out and made for the pigs. Then the whole herd charged down the cliff into the lake and drowned. When the townfolks heard what happened from the swineherds, they set out to meet Jesus, and as soon as they saw the Lord they implored Him to leave their place. Jesus did not waste time leaving that place. For their sheer ingratitude and closed minds, our Lord chose to go to other places where people would be more receptive to His works and to the Good News of salvation.

Reflection

Why was our Lord rejected by the inhabitants of Gadara? For one thing, He was a Jew, and Gadara was of the Gentile world, as evidenced by their swine raising (Jews were forbidden by the law of Moses to eat pork). Another reason could be because the influence of the evil spirits had become so pervasive in that place that the kingdom of God that Jesus wanted to preach was anathema to them.

This Gospel account reminds us that the influence of Satan can be so strong that the Word of God can fall on deaf ears due to people’s materialism, selfishness, or false doctrines. None are in greater danger of demon possession today than those who indulge in spiritism and embrace the New Age Religion. Their adherents believe in reincarnation, channeling, and in communicating with the spirits of the dead. Despite numerous testimonies in Scriptures, many even deny the existence of devils and eternal damnation, having been deceived by Satan that God in His goodness would never allow the existence of hell. As early as the time of Moses, man has always been warned about these evil influences. “There shall not be found among you any one… that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord.” (Deut.18:10-12) All whose faith is not firmly established upon the Word of God will be deceived. We are fortunate who live and believe in the Word of God, which has become the rule of our life. We subordinate all our plans to the designs of the Holy Spirit.

By Your Word we have been enlightened, Lord, and by Your Spirit we shall never succumb to Satan’s wiles; for Jesus now lives in our hearts. Amen.

Posted in Damnation, Doctrine, Holy Spirit | Leave a comment»

Rules and Traditions

by Momong   February 6th, 2007 [Tuesday]

Mark 7: 1-13
Gn 1:20–2:4 / Ps 8

You set aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!
(Mark7:9)

By what rites are we purified?
By what rituals are we made clean?
None but by Jesus crucified
Who died for the atonement of our sins.

The Pharisees and some teachers of the law saw disciples of Jesus eating food with hands that were “unclean,” that is, unwashed. (The Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.) So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with ‘unclean’ hands?” He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men. You set aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: ‘Whatever help you might receive from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition. And you do many things like that.”

Reflection

The Pharisees and teachers of the law had become so used to their external forms of worship according to man-made practices handed down by their elders that they had forgotten the more essential practices that are pleasing to God — like acts of charity, piety, and obedience to His commandments. In fact, as our Lord cited, their traditional practices had often distorted or even contravened the commands of God.

Our Catholic sacramentals have often been the subject of criticism by other Christian (Protestant) churches who claim that these man-made practices were handed down from a ritual-obsessed past, which have no basis in Scriptures. These practices include our devotion to the Sto. Niño, our respect for the icons of the Blessed Mother, our devotion to her holy rosary, our daily masses, novenas, chaplets, etc. We do find it difficult to explain why we strongly adhere to these religious practices of our faith, but we still remain faithful to them anyway. They are all expressions of piety and devotion, which we believe help us in our desire for spiritual growth. The practice only becomes irrelevant and pharisaical if by these religious practices we think that we are more moral than others, or if we also indulge in other activities that are immoral (like gambling, or heavy drinking). A fellow runner who could not restrain his tongue with cursing words once said he always prayed the rosary when he set out on long runs. We gently reminded him that dirty words and prayers should not come from the same mouth just as fresh water and sewage cannot flow from the same pipe. Our friend agreed that he would make an effort to stop cursing.

Help us, Lord, to better understand all the doctrines of our Church, so that all our religious practices may lead us closer to You. Amen.

Posted in Doctrine, Sacraments | Leave a comment»