The demons pleaded with him,
matthew 8:31-32
“If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.”
And he said to them, “Go then!”
Reflection
When Jesus is traveling, he comes upon two demoniacs who question if he has come to torment them before the appointed time. They ask to be driven into a herd of pigs, and Jesus commands the demons to do so. The possessed pigs then run into the sea and drown. When the people of the town learn about this, they beg Jesus to leave.
The demons recognize the power of Jesus – they know he can do whatever he pleases to them. Do we recognize Jesus’ power? The demons also recognize Jesus’ authority – do we? Sometimes we forget we are subject to God. While we do have free will, that doesn’t mean we are all-powerful, as many people like to believe. They live their lives as if they are in ultimate control, when in reality, God is.
It can be easy to forget that we are God’s creation when we have the ability to create and control many things in this world. It is beautiful that the Lord allows us to take part in creating human beings or that we have the knowledge to create new technology that advances humanity. But in the end, God has the ultimate authority over everything – not us and not Satan. Recognizing God’s authority allows us to grow in humility and strive to do his will in everything – how can you do this today?
Saint of the Day
St. Bernardino Realino: 1530 – 1616
“We must win hearts, not with force, but with gentle patience and love.”
St. Bernardino
The Healing Word 