Meditation Minute

My Dearest brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“I know who you are--the Holy One of God!”

Gospel Reading: Luke 4:31-37

31 Jesus then went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the Sabbath, 32 and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. 33 In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, 34 "Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!" 35 Jesus rebuked him and said, "Be quiet! Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. 36 They were all amazed and said to one another, "What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out." 37 And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

Who has control over your life? In today’s gospel, Jesus is teaching his disciples in a synagogue in Capernaum when a man possessed by an unclean spirit confronted Jesus. This man’s life was controlled by an unclean spirit. Jesus demonstrated his power over evil. At his command, the demon left the man. This passage, while very short, has a number of messages. First and foremost, we should understand that the demon knew that Jesus was the “Holy One” the Son of God. Not only did he know Jesus, he knew that Jesus had the supreme authority to cast him out. Jesus did not have to call anybody else to come to his rescue or to lend him aid. It was by his own authority alone that the demon was cast out of this man. The word of Jesus was the word of God because Jesus was the Word made flesh.

Secondly, this passage tells us that Christ has the power to cleanse our life of unclean spirits. If we approach Christ, He can empty our lives of those things which burden us or weigh us down. He has the power to remove Satan from our lives. Christ speaks with authority. He speaks with the ability to drive out the enemy in our lives. We only need to approach him. The Word of God has the power to purify our souls and cleanse us and make us worthy for the kingdom of God.

I assume that there is no question that Jesus is almighty and all powerful and that he is the “Holy One”, but do you recognize Christ when he is calling you? What do you do when Christ calls your name? Do you ignore his call? How can you ignore the call of God when even the lowly demon obeyed him? God calls us to his side, to give up and be freed from sin. He calls us to abandon our lives for his. We should be submissive to God and heed his call. We should come running to his altar with us as the sacrifice. We should be willing to sacrifice our life for him. We should accept the supremacy of God and obey his commands. We should become the message which God calls forth.

A Simple Prayer

Lord, you are the supreme ruler,

You are God of all.

Call my name and I will come to be your servant

For your word is my authority.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon