Homily: Tuesday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time - Dispelling Darkness

From now until the beginning of Lent on February 10, our weekday Gospel readings will be taken from the Gospel of Mark. 

Without skipping any passages we’ll make our way from chapter 1 through chapter 10—beginning with his baptism, which we heard Sunday, up until his entrance into Jerusalem.  These 10 chapters comprise Jesus’ public ministry.

And so during these short weeks of Ordinary Time before Lent, we will read of healings and exorcisms, parables and teachings and miracles.

St. Mark’s original audience was the ancient Romans who were very much like modern Americans—very practical, pragmatic people who emphasized deeds more than words, action more than theory.  The Romans got things done, in fact they conquered the world!

So throughout Mark’s Gospel we are going to hear how Jesus is doing battle with the powers of evil; he is able to cast out demons, cure diseases, even tame the powers of nature.

His healings and exorcisms are proof that this man is worth following and through Jesus God breaks into human history to offer liberation and salvation from evil.  The greatest sign of this, in the Gospel of Mark, will be the Resurrection when Jesus conquers even death on a cross.

Mark, being the shortest Gospel, can be read in a single sitting without too much effort.  And if you’ve never read Mark from beginning to end these are good days for such a practice.

In our troubled, troubled times, unclean spirits abound, as in Jesus’ time.  They are very active in trying to deceive, confuse, tempt, manipulate, seduce, control, depress, harass, hurt, destroy, and damn us—working to break up marriages, corrupt young innocent hearts and minds, and destroy the Church. 

Satan and his demons are conquered by obedience to God.  Following his commandments, especially his command to confess your sins and to receive his body and blood, are paramount. We must put our trust in Jesus by making Him the first priority in our lives: more important than sports, more important than lazy Sunday mornings where everyone stays in their pajamas all day instead of going to Church.  If we want our parish, our school, our families, our communities to be liberated from the power of evil, we must fill them with the power of Christ. For how can we expect Jesus to cast out the evil of our lives, if we do not come to him to be saved. Or how can we expect the love of Christ to reign in the world, if we are engaging in bullying, foul language, violence, impurity.

We pray that God may banish all darkness from our lives, and use us as his instruments for conquering evil in the world for his glory and the salvation of souls.