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reading of the letter to the Hebrews
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Brothers what more should I say I
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wouldn't have time to talk more about
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Gideon Barack Samson jetha David Samuel
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and the prophets these by faith
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conquered kingdoms practiced Justice
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received promises gag the mouths of
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lions quench the power of fire escaped
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the edge of the sword recovered health
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and sickness proved themselves Valiant
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in war repelled Army foreigners women
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found their dead through Resurrection
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others were dismembered or refused
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Ransom to reach a better Resurrection
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still others suffered the ordeal of
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mockery they experienced the whip the
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chains the prisons they were stoned
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sawed or killed by swords they led a
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Wandering life dressed in sheep skins or
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goat's hair oppressed and troubled they
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suffered deprivation they of whom the
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world was not worthy wandered in the
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deserts and mountains in the caves and
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caves of the earth and yet all of them
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although by faith they received a good
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testimony nevertheless they did not
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obtain the Fulfillment of the promise
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because God was predicting something
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better for us that's why it wasn't
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convenient for them to reach full
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realization without us word of the Lord
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proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
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Christ according to St Mark Glory To You
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Lord at that time Jesus and his
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disciples arrived on the other side of
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the sea in the region of the jines as
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soon as he got off the boat a man
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possessed by an unclean Spirit coming
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out of a cemetery met him this man lived
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in the middle of the Tomb and no one
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could tie him up not even with chains he
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had often been tied up with handcuffs
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and chains but he would break the chains
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and break the handcuffs and no one was
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able to dominate him day and night he
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wandered among the tombs and on the
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mountains screaming and hurting himself
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with stones seeing Jesus from afar the
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demoniac ran fell on his knees before
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him and shouted loudly what have you to
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do with me Jesus Son of the most high
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God I adure You by God do not torment me
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in effect Jesus said to him unclean
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Spirit come out of this man then Jesus
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asked what is your name the man replied
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my name is Legion because there are many
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of us and he insistently asked Jesus not
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to expel him from the region there was a
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large herd of pigs nearby grazing on the
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mountain the unclean Spirit then begged
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so that we may enter them Jesus allowed
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it the unclean spirits came out of the
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man and entered the pigs and the whole
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herd about 2,000 pigs threw themselves
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down the hill into the sea where they
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drowned the men guarding the pigs ran
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out and spread the news throughout the
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city and Fields and people went to see
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what had happened they went to Jesus and
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saw the demoniac sitting dressed and in
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his right mind the same one who had
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previously been possessed by the legion
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and they were scared those who had
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witnessed the event explained to them
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what had happened to the demon-possessed
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man and the pigs then they began to ask
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Jesus to leave their area as Jesus
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re-entered the boat the man who had been
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demonized asked him to let him stay with
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him Jesus however did not allow it
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however he said to him go home to your
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people and tell them everything that the
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Lord in his Mercy has done for you then
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the man went away and began to preach in
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the decapolis everything that Jesus had
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done for him and everyone was amazed
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word of Salvation Glory To You
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Lord dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ
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Imagine A Portrait Gallery where each
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painting tells a story of extraordinary
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courage unwavering faith and superhuman
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perseverance this is exactly what what
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we find in today's first reading where
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the author of Hebrews presents us with
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an impressive Hall of
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Faith what else should I say asks the
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author there would be no time to talk
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about Gideon Barack Samson jeffa David
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Samuel and the prophets each of these
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names carries epic stories of faith in
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action Ordinary People Who through faith
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accomplished the extraordinary they
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conquered kingdoms exercised Justice
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achieve the promises but note that the
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author does not romanticize Faith he
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shows us two sides of the coin yes some
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shut the mouths of lions quenched the
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violence of fire escaped the edge of the
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sword but others were tortured endured
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taunts and floggings chains and prisons
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some triumphed gloriously others
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suffered terribly but all remain
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faithful this reading reminds us that
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faith is not a guarantee of an easy life
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but rather of a meaningful life Those
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whom the world was not worthy wandered
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through deserts and mountains living in
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caves but kept their spiritual Integrity
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intact and it is in this context that
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our gospel today gains even greater
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depth the story of the demoniac of
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jeresa is one of the most dramatic
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narratives in the gospels we found a man
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living among the tombs tormented by
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demons so strong that no chain could
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contain him screaming and hurting him
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himself with stones what a powerful
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image of spiritual slavery this man
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represents all those who are chained not
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by physical chains but by addictions
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fears traumas toxic relationships or any
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other force that prevents us from living
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the Abundant Life God intended for us
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but then Jesus arrives note that the man
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or rather the demons in him immediately
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recognize who Jesus is what have you to
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do with me Jesus son of the most high
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God even the dark Forces know who is in
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charge the release that follows is
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dramatic the demons are expelled they
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enter a herd of pigs that rush into the
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sea and the man he is found sitting
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dressed and in his right mind what an
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transformation here is the Deep
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connection between our two readings both
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The Heroes of Faith mentioned in Hebrews
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and the demoniac of jerasa show us the
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transformative power of an encounter
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with God some demonstrate this power
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through their perseverance in faith
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others through their dramatic
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Deliverance but the story does not end
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with Liberation Jesus gives man a
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mission go home to your people and tell
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them all that the Lord has done for you
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and how he has had mercy on you the
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liberated man becomes an evangelizer a
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living testimony to the transforming
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power of Christ it reminds us that our
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own stories of faith and Liberation are
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not just for us like the heroes
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mentioned in Hebrews we are called to be
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witnesses to others inspiring them with
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our faith and perseverance my brothers
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and sisters perhaps some of you identify
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with a demoniac struggling with personal
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demons that seem impossible to overcome
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Others May see themselves more in the
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heroes of Hebrews persevering in faith
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in the midst of challenges in both cases
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the message is clear God's power is
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greater than any force that oppresses us
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and our faith even in the midst of
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suffering is not in vain may we like the
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man from jerasa experience the
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liberating power of Christ and may we
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like the Heroes of Faith persevere to
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the end knowing that we are part of a
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great cloud of witnesses who proclaim
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the power and faithfulness of God may
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the Lord bless us and keep us today and
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St Michael the Archangel defend Us in
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battle be our protection against the
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wickedness and snares of the devil may
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God rebuke him we humbly pray and do
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thou o Prince of the Heavenly Host by
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the power of God cast into hell Satan
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and all the evil spirits who prowl
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throughout the world seeking the ruin of
