Jesus casts a demon from a man and many are awed by His great authority, knowledge and power. Every Catholic man can grow in happiness by seeking the Gift of Knowledge from the Holy Spirit so he can seek the grave threat of demons and be protected by God and by seeking the Gift of the Fear of the Lord so he can always fear being separated from Jesus.
Liturgy
1st Week in Ordinary Time – Tuesday – Mk 1:21-28
Commentary
After calling His first apostles (Simon, Andrew, James, and John) along the Sea of Galilee, Jesus walks to Capernaum. In this fishing/agricultural town with a population of several thousand located on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus establishes the base for His Galilean ministry.
Jesus teaches in the synagogue on the Sabbath and, in contrast to the closed minds of Nazareth, He astounds men for His “word” has great authority and power, surpassing the scribes, those Jewish men who were the scholars and experts in the Law. Sensing the Divine and filled with great fear, demons in a possessed man are, ironically, the first to speak the name of Jesus in Mark’s Gospel, proclaiming Jesus to be “the Holy One of God.” The demons, with supernatural perception, realize the infinite power of Jesus and His ability to destroy them with a word. Instead, Jesus commands the demons to be silent about His identity, and casts them out of the man, who though violently tossed about, is made well.
The men of the synagogue, who likely had known the long torture of the demon-possessed man who lived among them, are amazed (overwhelming wonder) at the miracle they have witnessed; they see an exorcism up close and the miraculous return of the possessed man to perfect health and sanity. Those who witness the power of Jesus are so awed by the miracle that they immediately spread the news about Jesus to all the surrounding region.
Be awed by Jesus Christ
Be awed by Jesus as He battles against Satan: Divine Knowledge, Jesus has the ability to immediately detect the invisible presence of evil angels (demons), and knows how to remove their evil presence from the souls of men; Divine Power, Jesus terrorizes powerful demons, and through a simple word, can supernaturally remove demons from possessing a man’s soul, and restore the intellectual and physical function to men who have been possessed; Divine Priest, Jesus confirms the existence of demons, and establishes the Rite of Exorcism for His Holy Catholic Church.
Seek God’s protection from Satan
Realize: In contrast to the common modern belief that demonic possession is simply a mental or physical illness, Jesus repeatedly confirms that Satan and demons are real, and can possess the souls of men; every Catholic man needs God’s protection from the Evil One.
Believe: Reflect upon Satan and Demons (CCC 409, 421, 447, 539, 550, 566, 631-637, 1086, 1708, 2850-2854).
Pray: Holy Spirit, give me the Gift of Knowledge so I can more clearly recognize Satan’s subtle attacks upon Me, quickly ask Christ to deliver me from the Evil One and be protected from Satan’s attacks by Christ Himself by receiving His Most Precious Body and Blood in the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
Fear the fires of Hell and separation from Jesus
Realize: In contrast to the demons who are terrified, and the countless men who are awed (reverence, holy fear) as they witness Jesus’ fearsome Divine Power, many men have lost the fear of the Lord, foolishly presuming Jesus to be their easy-going “buddy” or ignoring Him altogether; every Catholic man needs to have a healthy fear of Hell and fear being separated from Jesus.
Believe: Reflect upon The Fear of the Lord (CCC 1041, 1303, 1831, 1845, 1949, 2084, 2116, 2144, 2150), the “beginning of all wisdom” (Prov 9:10).
Pray: Holy Spirit, help me fear the fires of Hell and give me the Gift of the Fear of the Lord so I love Jesus dearly, fear my sins that can separate me from Him, and quickly repent when I fall into sin.