On the fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost, the Resurrection Gospel tells about the healing by Jesus Christ of two demon-possessed men living in Gergesenes (Matthew 8:28-9:1). They would live in coffins, and from time to time they tormented the local residents. When the Lord came to the city, the demoniacs said to Him: “What do You want with us, Jesus, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time.”
Knowing the power and might of Christ, they were aware of their involvement, so they asked Him to drive them out into a herd of pigs grazing nearby. And so it happened. The same herd, after that, rushed from the cliff into the sea and drowned. This greatly upset the local residents, who earned some money off the sale of this livestock. It was because of the loss of income that the Gergesenes asked the Savior to leave them.
This story makes us think about several important aspects. The first sacramental shows the great power of the Lord over dark spirits. The demons, who, according to the apostle James, believe and tremble (James 2:19), obey only one word of the Savior. Therefore, they are not able to cause any harm to a person who is always with the Lord, lives according to His commandments and does His will.
The second aspect directs our gaze towards the relationship between man and God. This meeting is strikingly different from other similar meetings of Christ with different people. Previously, upon seeing the Savior’s miracle, many believed in Him and a large number of people followed Him, but now people do not follow Him, do not rejoice at the accomplished miracle, but ask the Lord to leave them. Probably, this passage is one of the strangest and most frightening in the entire Gospel.
It is easier for Christ to deal with demons than with men. He cast out demons with just one word. Instead, people expelled Christ himself. This shows that God cannot change a person without their will.
On the other hand, we see another aspect that reveals the relationship between people. Unfortunately, they are not portrayed from the best side. Those around them feel sorry for their own property and do not rejoice for their neighbor who had long been suffering and is now freed from torment. From here, one very important detail of life becomes clear – for the good of another, we need to sacrifice something. This makes us reflect on the question: what are we willing to sacrifice for our neighbor? This is more relevant today, in times of war, than ever.
Therefore, let’s open our hearts to Christ! Let us not expel Him from the abode of our soul with sins and passions. Let us rejoice in the joy of our neighbor and be always ready to sacrifice everything for the good of our relatives, loved ones and everyone around us. Then the Lord will certainly reward everyone a hundredfold for their kindness and generosity.
