When they saw Him, they begged Him to leave their district.

 

Saturday, September 30, 2023


Psalm 72

1 Kings 15:25-16:7

Matthew 8:23-34


Observance: Jerome, priest and biblical scholar (d. 420)


When they saw Him, they begged Him to leave their district.


Take a walk through the shops – in the midst of all the cheap plastic Halloween decorations, you may spy the countdown to Christmas. For those of us Christians who use the liturgical calendar, this comes as a double shock – here we are, reclining in Ordinary Time, not even thinking about All Soul’s Eve, let alone Advent, and yet salesman would have us open our wallet in celebration of the Incarnation!


Yet, like Christmas, Jesus is coming. The one like a Son of Man, whom Daniel saw in his dream while serving in that alien ancient civilisation of Babylon, will return on the same clouds of heaven which swept Him up after His resurrection. Unlike Christmas, we do not know how many sleeps we have left before that great and terrible Day.


Demons, terrified at the appearance of God in the flesh, cried out, surely it is not yet the time? Worth less than the dirt on His sandals, Christ replies; “all right, go.” He will be back for them. The time of their torture has been appointed. Their day will come.


Terrified as realisation dawns on the people of the Gadarenes as to who this is, they beg Christ to leave them. A vain request; Christ will return to them, too. What they should be thinking about is how they will respond on that Day. Will they call out in praise as their loving saviour comes to be united with them perfectly forever? Or will they call out to the mountains to fall on them, to look for the deepest cave in which to hide?


The love of God is like an army in hot pursuit (Psalm 23:6). It is cleansing and pure; God’s love burns bright-hot, and does not relent: He will make us into something worthy of His Son. This is a big ask for us; we may ask Him to love us less, and He will leave us in the outer darkness. Or we can say yes to His love, invite Him in, and be a part of a love like nothing on earth.

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