5th Sunday Year B - Homily 5

Homily 5 - 2021

Did you notice how, on three occasions in today’s short Gospel passage, Mark made reference to people suffering from diabolical possession? “They brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils”… “he cured many who were suffering from diseases of one kind or another; he also cast out many devils” ... and then “he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out devils”. As we read the Gospels, people possessed by devils seem as common as people who were sick. There seem to be as many accounts of exorcism as there are of healing. That sounds extraordinary — and quite beyond our experience.

Some of the cases were probably common mis-diagnoses. People generally in those days knew much less about illness and its causes than we do today. Possession generally seemed to cover a whole spectrum of different cases — from highly colourful descriptions of evil or destructive behaviour, through simply uncharacteristic or culturally different behaviour, to obsessive or compulsive behaviour generally. In a few more heated discussions with some groups of Pharisees, Jesus himself was accused by them of being possessed; and in one encounter, he said that those opposing him had the devil for their father.

During the past week, the Victorian Parliament passed a Bill that outlaws recommending or using exorcism in attempts to change anyone’s sexual orientation. Some religious groups today obviously see any orientation other than heterosexuality as a possible case of diabolical possession.

Why was Jesus so concerned about issues of real or generally accepted cases of diabolical possession? Essentially because it was an assault on human freedom. For him, freedom was necessary for all genuine human life and human growth. He believed he was sent by the Father to redeem, or liberate, people from everything that served to reduce or destroy human dignity, and the freedom on which it is based.

He saw such reduction of freedom arising from within persons themselves in the shape of their personal addictions and compulsions, in their entrenched vices and habits, and in their illnesses both physical and mental,.

He also opposed external violence in all its forms, because it, too, disregarded or limited or inhibited the personal freedom of others. Especially he was alert to the power of cultures to undermine people’s genuine freedoms. Cultural influences are so ambivalent. They can blind people to genuine value; and even reinforce truly destructive behaviours.

Most of Jesus’ conflicts happened in the synagogues of Galilee or in the Temple in Jerusalem — much more there than by the sparkling lake or on the green hills. The synagogues and the Temple were the home-ground of the culture — and there criticism was strongest.

Over the months leading up to the American Presidential election, American culture came under constant scrutiny and our TV screens provided endless opportunity to see its strengths and its weaknesses. At times I felt truly frightened.

Recently I have become more aware of my own tendency to not listen to those with whom I disagree. I find myself distressed by the many politicians who simply speak in slogans or ridicule whatever an opposing party says or does — yet find myself behaving similarly. Generally I try to be calm. But touch my buttons and I begin to argue, arrogantly asserting my own opinions, and certainly not listening to the other with the view perhaps to learn something — but rather simply to hear something to contradict and attack.

My behaviour becomes uncharacteristic. I get carried away. I lose my freedom — I become another person, as it were, as though some hidden power has taken possession of me.

“Jesus went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out devils.”