Allow Him In

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark

In today’s society, Our Lord is often reduced to a mere moral teacher or exuberant social activist. Others see Him as a historical figure, and others question His existence altogether. Many look at this Sunday’s Gospel and attribute the man’s unclean spirit to be purely cultural or psychological in nature, denouncing the existence of the demonic and the healing ministry of Jesus Christ . All of this to say, our culture more often than not lacks the proper perspective to see what Our Lord is showing us in this scripture passage. 

To the bystanders in the synagogue, Jesus Christ was the new man on the block. The rumors of His early public ministry had most likely begun to circulate all over the region; however, the public influence of the religious leaders, such as the Pharisees and Sadducees, were enough to dissuade many people from giving the rumors more than an ounce of thought out of fear of persecution. Yet, the people, after hearing Our Lord teach on the sabbath, which was highly inappropriate according to Jewish law, were “astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority” (Mark 1: 22). I love how Scripture uses the word, “astonished.” The people in the synagogue recognized that there was something different about Jesus, that the authority He spoke with was different from the Pharisees and Sadducees who, at best, recited the same interpretations of the law that had been handed down to them through the centuries. 

This authority of Jesus Christ is different than that of a classic kingship, for His authority extends beyond this earthly realm, for He is present within God the Father and God the Father within Him. When He was challenged by the unclean spirits who haunted the man, His authority subdued the unclean spirits swiftly and expelled them from him, which left the people “amazed,” for they recognized “a new teaching with authority.” I often put myself in the place of the bystanders that are mentioned in the Gospels and imagine what it must have been like to watch this unfold before my very eyes, and I imagine I too would be just as amazed as they were in this moment.

While Our Lord’s authority is transcendent, He doesn’t rule with a hammer or from a throne; rather, He chose to come into our fragility and experience the world as one of us. He chose to come and encounter those who are plagued with sorrow and grief. He chose to come and heal the sick, deaf and lame with His own human hands. It was not enough for Him to have the ability to do these miracles. He chose to come and personally look into our eyes as He healed us of our afflictions, like He did with the man in the synagogue. So many times, we hide our afflictions from Him out of fear, like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, but, when we allow Our Lord to enter into our suffering and heal us, we, as St. Therese writes, “give Jesus the joy of being [y]our savior.” 

In this upcoming week, I encourage you to pray with the encounter of Jesus and the man with the unclean spirit. What are things that you keep to yourself, that you don’t let anyone else see? Where are you in need of healing? What is your “unclear spirit,” if you will? Do you trust that Our Lord has the authority and power to heal you? Have you experienced the Lord looking intentionally at you? If not, what is stopping you? 

About the Author: Trey Parker is a Baton Rouge native and has been involved in parish ministries around the Diocese of Baton Rouge since his conversion in middle school. His passion lies in serving the Church in as many ways as possible, but most notably, encountering the sick, poor and vulnerable through healthcare. This passion led him to study nursing at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (FranU). During his time at FranU, he has also pursued a minor in theology due to his love for Christ and His Church. His hobbies include martial arts, reading and planning a wedding with his fiancé, Catherine. 

Favorite Saint (at the moment): Mary and St. Joseph are the two saints that are especially seeking me out in this season of my life! Mary teaches me how to look at the Lord, and Joseph teaches me humility and masculine love, which is needed as I prepare for marriage.

Top Three Songs You’re Listening To: According to Spotify, my top three songs on repeat are: “Silence, A Stranger” by Arcadian Wild, “Sunny Days” by Allen Stone and “I’ll Be Waiting” by Adele.

Favorite Song from the Gather Hymnal (aka your favorite traditional church song): “Let There Be Peace on Earth”