A WORD OR TWO                                             January 29, 2012

             FROM FATHER ALEX

     Jesus was no stranger to dealing with dark forces and demonic possession. In Jesus’ time, demons were believed to be quite numerous and very threatening–they were “unclean spirits” who tried to do harm. It is important to observe how Jesus deals with demons and diseases caused by dark forces. Next week when he learns of Peter’s mother-in-law’s illness, Jesus approaches, comes and takes her hand and lifts her up. His very touch brings healing.

    First of all, Jesus is a man who is himself profoundly touched by both good and evil, and is deeply immersed in the swirl and storm of life experience. There is no evil that Jesus has not penetrated. He was once described as “A man of sorrows, and acquainted with iniquity.” So there is nothing mechanical about his compassion, nothing distant about his care and healing. Indeed, it is obvious from the gospels that Jesus particularly heals those who are on the margins of society - tax collectors, prostitutes, paralytics, lepers, those who are possessed. Secondly, Jesus, as the Son of God, has the power of the Creator of all life filling him, lifting him up even from death. That is how Jesus is able to cast evil far away, but at the same time draws creation to himself, to touch and heal. Jesus is the conduit of life: He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

    We all want to know how, exactly, to combat the evil forces which threaten life and love? Can we harness the power to defeat all evil? The answer is a definite ‘yes’. We know that power over evil lies in only one place - the heart and soul of God, and God’s love for the whole creation. Jesus came precisely to show us how God identifies with us, and loves us in this totally consuming way, like a mother with her new baby. But Jesus’ secret is that he continually stayed connected to that power-source through prayer.

     Prayer is a bonding ritual. It is a “lifting up” of our intentions, and desires, and hopes to God’s face. Prayer is taking our anger, and exhaustion, and moral confusion to God’s ear. And then it is waiting, until the next steps in our life are revealed to us. Prayer always has to be our request for deeper intimacy with God. We have to crave more of that connection - or we gradually become trapped-out and drained of all passion and power in our prayer. The gospel of Mark uses dramatic language to emphasize how faith and trust butt heads regularly with reason and disbelief. This is something we too are living out. In the midst of evil, good is still rooted in us at the deepest level, because God is present in our depth of our beings. By prayer the good within us is restored, our potential revived and evil defeated.     

Peace to all.

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