Monday, 2/3/14
In the first reading
King David’s son Absalom had rebelled against him, but David was so indulgent
toward that son Absalom, that he meekly accepted the disgrace Absalom was
heaping on him. We might contrast that relationship with one in the news a few
days ago. It featured parents who turned their son over to the police after
hearing the boy planning to kill innocent people. The two stories taken
together tell us that our love for our dear ones has gone wrong if it leads us
to let them get away with murder.
In the Gospel Jesus
cured a demoniac who was possessed by so many demons that they jointly went
under the name of Legion, the word Romans used to describe a fighting force of
six thousand men.
I don’t know how we
are supposed to understand this story, but I can see one application for it. We
are surrounded by at least six thousand of people who are going wrong. They are
addicted to drugs, they are mistreating family members, the religious medals
that once hung around their necks have been replaced by arms, backs, faces
decorated with threatening tattoos.
Rather than becoming
saddened by the evils surrounding us, we must be confident that Christ is in
charge of his world, and he is capable of making these legions of trash go jump
in the lake.
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