Wednesday 1st July Feria
Gospel – Matthew 8:28-34
When Jesus came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs coming out of the tombs met him. They were so fierce that no one could pass that way. Suddenly they shouted, ‘What have you to do with us, Son of God?
Have you come here to torment us before the time?’ Now a large herd of swine was feeding at some distance from them. The demons begged him, ‘If you cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.’ And he said to them, ‘Go!’ So they came out and entered the swine; and suddenly, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and perished in the water. The swineherds ran off, and on going into the town, they told the whole story about what had happened to the demoniacs. Then the whole town came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighbourhood.
The Gospel of the Lord
The Mass intention is for Fr Christopher and the Parish of the Assumption Parishioners
Reflection:
Matthew presents us with a picture of Jesus, who rescues us. He just went through a storm to cross a sea most would not dare to tread, to a place few would ever go, to see two people who needed His help.
One would reject Him and one would beg to go with Him, while the community who rejected these two people also rejected Jesus, and demanded His departure, as they valued pigs over people, money over eternity. This passage stresses the point that Jesus is no mere man; He is divine. Even the demons testify to this!
This is a strange story from a godly perspective, as the people who should have marvelled at Jesus’ ability to heal two people whom they had given up on, saw a divine miracle preformed before them, and benefited by being saved from the torment of the demons, only to demand that He leave.
- So many of us do the same thing every day. Have you ever asked Jesus to leave you?
- Or do you allow Jesus to endear and embrace you and help you on your way to your own conversion?
Fr John
