Away from the Tombs.

 In this weeks Gospel Mark 5:1-20 Jesus and his disciples travel to the territory of Gerasenes.  When they reached by boat they met a man who was possessed.  They say this man was living among the tombs and couldn’t be restrained.  He actually  had broken out of shackles and chains. He was absolutely uncontrollable.  When this man saw Jesus he screamed “ What have you do with me Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me”  Jesus spoke to this man and in a few  moments was able to cast out the demons.  When Jesus freed this man the demons  were sent into nearby swine where they ultimately met their death.  This man was finally  free from the unclean spirit that had reduced  him to living his life in  shackles and chains. As a free man he wanted to be with Jesus and travel with him but Jesus wanted something else. Jesus wanted him to go out into the world and tell people what happened. That is exactly what he did. He went and told  the people in the cities nearby that Jesus had freed him and they were all amazed. 

    This Gospel is another example of what Jesus came to do for all people. Jesus came to free us. Free us from the chains that society and the world can place on you.  I think in many ways people of today are possessed. They don’t know it but they are possessed by a world that isn’t thinking Christ like. When someone is possessed  they lose  themselves.  You can argue that many of us have lost ourselves especially over the last 2 years.  We have picked up new habits, some good ones, some bad ones. We have grown scared to be with one another. Many of us consume so much news that we forget about our own lives. We watch the media and wait for updates on how we are supposed to live. I fear that many of us are possessed by the traps of the world. When you’re possessed you  lose sight of why God put you on earth.  In many cases you  end up living among the tombs.  The tombs of negativity, hatred, jealousy to name a few.   You live a life in isolation away from Christ, away from the church.  A life without Christ is very much a life in the tombs. You may be alive but you're  living among  the dead.  That is the condition of man without Jesus. What Jesus does in this Gospel is what he came to do.  Free us from sin and recapture our souls. Jesus came to free man and woman from a life in the tombs. We all experience life’s highs and lows but it is in the low points when Jesus is  most clearly there. He is there to pick us up and wipe us clean.  Jesus  heals the broken.  He makes the weak  strong.  So in my weak moments I ask for God’s mercy so I to can be free from my life in the tombs.

        Have you been down before?  Have you ever  asked “ What have you do with me Jesus?”    Each time, you have persevered. You preserver according to God's will. Each time God brings you back up it is  according to his will and not ours.  When he does this what are we called to do?  I believe Jesus wants us to do what he asked the free man to do. Go out into the world and share what he has done for us. That is our work, go out live a life. Live a life that is free from the tombs and amaze the world with your new life in Christ.