cast out

Matthew 9:32-38

32 As they were going away, behold, a dumb demoniac was brought to him.33 And when the demon had been cast out, the dumb man spoke; and the crowds marveled, saying, "Never was anything like this seen in Israel."

34 But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the prince of demons." 35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity.

36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

Reflection

What help or hope can we give to someone who experiences chronic distress or some incurable disease of mind or body? Spiritual, emotional, and physical suffering often go hand in hand.

Jesus was well acquanited with individuals who suffered intolerable affliction – whether physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual. A "dumb demoniac" was brought to Jesus by his friends with the hope that Jesus would set the troubled man free.

These neighbors, no doubt, took pity on this man who had a double impediment. He had not only lost his ability to speak, but was also greatly disturbed in mind and spirit.

This was no doubt due to the influence of evil spirits who tormented him day and night with thoughts of despair and hopeless abandonment by God. Jesus immediately set him free from the demon who tormented him and restored his ability to speak at the same time.

This double miracle brought wonder to the crowds who watched in amazement. "Nothing like this had ever been done before in the land of Israel!" Whenever people approached Jesus with expectant faith, he set them free from whatever afflicted them – whether it be a disease of mind and body, a cripling burden of guilt and sin, a tormenting spirit or uncontrolable fear of harm.

How could Jesus’ miracles cause both scorn and wonder at the same time from those who professed faith in God?

Don’t we often encounter the same reaction today, even in ourselves! The crowds looked with awe at the wonderful works which Jesus did, but the religious leaders attributed this same work to the power of the devil.

They disbelieved because they refused to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Their idea of religion was too narrow and closed to accept Jesus as the Anointed One sent by the Father "to set the captives free" (Isaiah 61:1; Matthew 11:5).

They were too set in their own ways to change and they were too proud to submit to Jesus. They held too rigidly to the observances of their ritual laws while neglecting the more important duties of love of God and love of neighbor.

The people, as a result, were spiritually adrift and hungry for God. Jesus met their need and gave them new faith and hope in God’s saving help. Whenever the gospel is proclaimed God’s kingdom is made manifest and new life and freedom is given to those who respond with faith.

The Lord grants freedom to all who turn to him with trust. Do you bring your troubles to the Lord with expectant faith that he can set you free?

The Lord invites us to pray that the work of the gospel may spread throughout the world, so that all may find true joy and freedom in Jesus Christ.

"your faith has made you well..."

Matthew 9:18-26

18 While he was thus speaking to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live."

19 And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. 20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment; 21 for she said to herself, "If I only touch his garment, I shall be made well."

22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well.

23 And when Jesus came to the ruler's house, and saw the flute players, and the crowd making a tumult, 24 he said, "Depart; for the girl is not dead but sleeping."

And they laughed at him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went through all that district.

Reflection

Do you take your troubles to the Lord with expectant faith and confidence in his help? People in desperate or helpless circumstances were not disappointed when they sought Jesus out.

What drew them to Jesus? Was it hope for a miracle or a word of comfort in their affliction? What did the elderly woman who had suffered greatly for twelve years expect Jesus to do for her?

And what did a grieving father expect Jesus to do about his lost beloved daughter? Jesus gave hope where there seemed to be no human cause for it because his hope was directed to God.

He spoke words of hope to the woman (Take heart, daughter!) to ignite the spark of faith in her (your faith has made you well!). And he also gave divine hope to a father who had just lost a beloved child.

It took considerable courage and risk for the ruler of a synagogue to openly go to Jesus and to invite the scorn of his neighbors and kin. Even the hired mourners laughed at him in scorn.

Their grief was devoid of any hope. Nonetheless, Jesus took the girl by the hand and delivered her from the grasp of death.

In both instances we see Jesus' personal concern for the needs of others and his readiness to heal and restore life.

In Jesus we see the infinite love of God extending to each and every individual as he gives freely and wholly of himself to each person he meets.

Do you approach the Lord with confident expectation that he will hear your request and act?

RB, Chapter 4: The Tools for Good Works

Verse 1 - 21

1First of all, love the Lord God with your whole heart, your whole soul and all your strength, 2and love your neighbor as yourself (Matt 22:37–39; Mark 12:30–31; Luke 10:27).

3Then the following: You are not to kill, 4not to commit adultery; 5you are not to steal 6nor to covet (Rom 13:9); 7you are not to bear false witness (Matt 19:18; Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20). 8You must honor everyone (1 Pet 2:17), 9and never do to another what you do not want done to yourself (Tob 4:16; Matt 7:12; Luke 6:31).

10Renounce yourself in order to follow Christ (Matt 16:24; Luke 9:23); 11discipline your body (1 Cor 9:27); 12do not pamper yourself, 13but love fasting. 14You must relieve the lot of the poor, 15clothe the naked, 16visit the sick (Matt 25:36), 17and bury the dead.

18Go to help the troubled 19and console the sorrowing. 20Your way of acting should be different from the world’s way; 21the love of Christ must come before all else.

Reflection

Now we begin that Chapter on the Tools for Good Works. We have heard about the kinds of monks. We have heard what qualities that abbot should have. We have heard that the abbot needs to take counsel from the community.

The first part of the tools of good works simply tells all of us that we must follow the Scriptures and the ten commandments of the Lord from the Hebrew Scriptures. It is clear that monks are followers of God and accept the Lord Jesus. We are Christian monks!

Then the tools for good works take on a tone that is perhaps more monastic or perhaps just the demands of the ordinary Christian placed more clearly in front of our eyes. The monk must learn to renounce himself in order to follow Christ.

This does imply a strong discipline and Saint Benedict spells that discipline out a bit: discipline your body, don't pamper yourself, love fasting.
For us monks today, perhaps we must listen again to these three works: discipline your body, don't pamper yourself and love fasting.

The present age does not like ascetic practices, even in the time of Lent. There is almost a fear of depriving ourselves of anything, as though somehow we will be making a bad decision if we make life any tougher than it already is.

The role of these ascetic practices is clear: so that we will be able to choose to do the Lord's will, even when it is difficult. We must start now to train ourselves and some of the best training is in this learning to discipline our bodies, learning how not to pamper ourselves and learning to love fasting.

We don't need to let anyone know what we are doing, but we ourselves must commit ourselves to these practices if we ever want to become strong monks who are able to commit themselves to doing the Lord's will.

Verse 22 - 43

22You are not to act in anger 23or nurse a grudge. 24Rid your heart of all deceit. 25Never give a hollow greeting of peace 26or turn away when someone needs your love.

27Bind yourself to no oath lest it prove false, 28but speak the truth with heart and tongue. 29Do not repay one bad turn with another (1 Thess 5:15; 1 Pet 3:9).

30Do not injure anyone, but bear injuries patiently. 31Love your enemies (Matt 5:44; Luke 6:27). 32If people curse you, do not curse them back but bless them instead. 33Endure persecution for the sake of justice (Matt 5:10).

34You must not be proud, 35nor be given to wine (Titus 1:7; 1 Tim 3:3). 36Refrain from too much eating 37or sleeping, 38and from laziness (Rom 12:11).

39Do not grumble 40or speak ill of others. 41Place your hope in God alone. 42If you notice something good in yourself, give credit to God, not to yourself, 43but be certain that the evil you commit is always your own and yours to acknowledge.

Reflection

As we go through these tools of Good Works, we find a very simple list of things to do or not to do. One would think, probably, that a serious Christian or a committed monk would already be doing these things.

How often we find that many of us are blind to the things that we find difficult! When we get angry, for instance, how many of us find it difficult to pardon the one who angered us! And we find ways inside ourselves to avoid the clear directions of the Lord Jesus and ways to avoid what the Rule of Benedict says.

Never nursing a grudge is fairly easy for some and almost impossible for others. When relationships in the monastery are hurt or conflict arises, it is no easier for us monks to reconcile than for those who live a non-Christian life. This speaks so much about our faith and our lack of depth in following the Lord.

How often a monk needs to give the kiss of peace to his brother and refuses to do so!
Most of all, each of us must learn how to put all our hope in God. We want human relationships, we want friends, we want human acknowledgement.

All of that is normal and is not evil. But when those desires interfere with our relationship with one another, we must learn to put all our hope in God. God must be for us all that we want and our human relationship must come to be an expression of putting all our hope in God.

Instead we find ourselves just like everyone else: we turn to God and try to be faithful to Him when we are in trouble. When things are going well, we trust in ourselves and in what we have accomplished!

Today let us try again to place our hope in the Lord.

Verse 44 - 62

44Live in fear of judgment day 45and have a great horror of hell. 46Yearn for everlasting life with holy desire. 47Day by day remind mind yourself that you are going to die.

48Hour by hour keep careful watch over all you do, 49aware that God’s gaze is upon you, wherever you may be. 50As soon as wrongful thoughts come into your heart, dash them against Christ and disclose them to your spiritual father.

51Guard your lips from harmful or deceptive speech. 52Prefer moderation in speech 53and speak no foolish chatter, nothing just to provoke laughter; 54do not love immoderate or boisterous laughter.

55Listen readily to holy reading, 56and devote yourself often to prayer. 57Every day with tears and sighs confess your past sins to God in prayer 58and change from these evil ways in the future.

59Do not gratify the promptings of the flesh (Gal 5:16); 60hate the urgings of self-will. 61Obey the orders of the abbot unreservedly, even if his own conduct—which God forbid—be at odds with what he says. Remember the teaching of the Lord: Do what they say, not what they do (Matt 23:3).

62Do not aspire to be called holy before you really are, but first be holy that you may more truly be called so.

Reflection

Many of us find it difficult to live in fear of judgment day even though we may indeed have a great horror of hell. Perhaps when we slow down and meditate on judgment day, it becomes clearer why we might have such a fear.

Even when we trust entirely in God's mercy and compassion, we can realize the depths of our failures to love God and to respond to His goodness and love. Probably the more we can develop this fear of judgment day, the more we can yearn for everlasting life with a holy desire.

A holy desire seems to imply that we year for everlasting life because we want to be with God, not simply because we want to avoid the sufferings of hell.

Many of us do not yet have a practice of thinking each day that we are going to die, yet this is recommended to us. As we get older, the practice seems almost natural instead of something morbid.

Basically this part of the Chapter on Good Works is reminding us to be "recollected" all the time. Many of the modern meditation techniques are trying to achieve the same thing. We need to be aware of who we are, that we are going to die and that we should be living in Christ now and our actions should come from that belief.

We are reminded that in our recollection we need to speak very little, to guard ourselves against speaking a lot, in order to keep our hearts and our minds fixed on the Lord.

Devoting ourselves often to prayer probably means that we are able to be aware of God's presence and turn to that divine presence frequently throughout the day. It surely does not mean stopping for a half hour of prayer here and there!

This turning to God in prayer will help us not satisfy the promptings of the flesh. Many of us struggle with the lusts of the flesh and spend many years to find how to continue in this struggle without losing hope. Not losing hope is at the heart of our monastic life: trust in the Lord.

Perhaps even more difficult that the struggle with the lusts of the flesh is the struggle to obey the abbot unreservedly in all that he asks of us. This obedience is put into the context of our not wanting to look holy but a deeper desire to be holy.

May the Lord help us live these teachings of our Father Benedict with great depth!

Verse 63 - 78

63Live by God’s commandments every day; 64 treasure chastity, 65harbor neither hatred 66nor jealousy of anyone, 67and do nothing out of envy. 68 Do not love quarreling; 69shun arrogance. 70Respect the elders 71and love the young.

72Pray for your enemies out of love for Christ. 73If you have a dispute with someone, make peace with him before the sun goes down. 74And finally, never lose hope in God’s mercy. 75These, then, are the tools of the spiritual craft.

76When we have used them without ceasing day and night and have returned them on judgment day, our wages will be the reward the Lord has promised: 77What the eye has not seen nor the ear heard, God has prepared for those who love him (1 Cor 2:9).

78The workshop where we are to toil faithfully at all these tasks is the enclosure of the monastery and stability in the community.

Reflection

These final tools of good work might possibly have been taken for granted among Christians at the time that Saint Benedict was writing.

Today they seem to be counter cultural in many parts of the world. Living by God's commandments is clearly seen as important. Today more and more people do not even know those commandments, even new monks coming into the monastic community.

We are invited to treasure chastity. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that chastity is the integration of sexuality. The Catechism also tells us that man either governs his passions and finds peace or is dominated by his passions and becomes unhappy.

This domination of the passions is also necessary in not harboring hatred or jealousy and in not doing anything our of envy.

Although we often think of monks as strong Christians, how difficult it is to make peace with our brothers before the sun goes down when we have had some conflict!

Anyone who has lived a serious monastic life for years come to know the strength of these tools of good works. Such a monk understands why Saint Benedict encourages us with this long list of good works and understands the joy that begins to come into one's life after many years of struggle.

Saint Benedict makes a point here to emphasize that the place of struggle is within the enclosure of the monastery and with stability in the community.

the history of the Holiday...

Independence Day is the national holiday of the United States of America commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

At the time of the signing the US consisted of 13 colonies under the rule of England's King George III. Leading up to the signing, there had been growing unrest in the colonies surrounding the taxes that colonists were required to pay to England. The major objection was "Taxation without Representation" -- the colonists had no say in the decisions of English Parliament.

Rather than negotiating, King George sent extra troops to the colonies to help control any rebellion that might be arising. The following timeline will give you a crash course in the history that lead to the signing of the Declaration of Independence and America's break from British rule.

1774 - The 13 colonies send delegates to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to form the First Continental Congress. While unrest was brewing, the colonies were far from ready to declare war.

April 1775 -- King George's troops advance on Concord, Massachusetts, prompting Paul Revere's midnight ride that sounded the alarm "The British are coming, the British are coming."
The subsequent battle of Concord, famous for being the "shot heard round the world," would mark the unofficial beginning of the American Revolution.

May 1776 -- After nearly a year of trying to work our their differences with England, the colonies again send delegates to the Second Continental Congress.

June 1776 -- Admitting that their efforts were hopeless, a committee was formed to compose the formal Declaration of Independence. Headed by Thomas Jefferson, the committee also included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Philip Livingston and Roger Sherman.

June 28, 1776 -- Jefferson presents the first draft of the declaration to congress.

July 4, 1776 -- After various changes to Jefferson's original draft, a vote was taken late in the afternoon of July 4th. Of the 13 colonies, 9 voted in favor of the Declaration; 2, Pennsylvania and South Carolina voted No; Delaware was undecided and New York abstained.
John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress, was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence. It is said that he signed his name "with a great flourish" so "King George can read that without spectacles!"

July 6, 1776 -- The Pennsylvania Evening Post is the first newspaper to print the Declaration of Independence.

July 8, 1776 -- The first public reading of the declaration takes place in Philadelphia's Independence Square. The bell in Independence Hall, then known as the "Province Bell" would later be renamed the "Liberty Bell" after its inscription - "Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants Thereof."

August 1776 - The task begun on July 4, the signing of the Declaration of Independence, was not actually completed until August. Nonetheless, the 4th of July has been accepted as the official anniversary of United States independence from Britain.

July 4, 1777 -- The first Independence Day celebration takes place. It's interesting to speculate what those first 4th festivities were like.

By the early 1800s the traditions of parades, picnics, and fireworks were firmly established as part of American Independence Day culture.

the doubting thomases...

John 20:24-29

24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe."

26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them.

The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you." 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing."

28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me?

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."

Reflection

What gives us unshakeable hope and confidence in the face of death and defeat?

The apostles abandoned Jesus in his hour of trial and lost hope when Jesus was handed over to the Romans for execution.

They saw the cross as defeat rather than victory. They were slow to believe the reports of the resurrection until the Risen Lord appeared to them and reassured them of his presence and love.

The last apostle to meet the resurrected Lord was the first to go with him to Jerusalem at Passover time.

The apostle Thomas was a natural pessimist. When Jesus proposed that they visit Lazarus after receiving news of his illness, Thomas said to the disciples: "Let us also go, that we may die with him" (John 11:16).

While Thomas deeply loved the Lord, he lacked the courage to stand with Jesus in his passion and crucifixion. After Jesus' death, Thomas made the mistake of withdrawing from the other apostles.

He sought loneliness rather than fellowship in his time of adversity. He doubted the women who saw the resurrected Jesus and he doubted his own fellow apostles.

When Thomas finally had the courage to rejoin the other apostles, the Lord Jesus made his presence known to him and reassured him that he had indeed overcome death and risen again.

When Thomas recognized his Master, he believed and exclaimed that Jesus was truly Lord and truly God!

Through the gift of faith we, too, are able to recognize the presence of the risen Lord in our personal lives.

The Holy Spirit reveals the Lord Jesus to us and helps us to grow in knowledge and understanding of God and his ways.

Through the gift of faith we are able to proclaim that Jesus is our personal Lord and our God. He died and rose that we, too, might have new life in him.

The Lord offers each of us new life in his Holy Spirit that we may know him personally and walk in this new way of life through the power of his resurrection.

Do you believe in God's word and in the power of the Holy Spirit?

How many of us are like the doubting Thomases in the midst of God's goodness and blessings?

the light that saves...

Matthew 8:28-34

28 And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way.

29 And behold, they cried out, "What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?" 30 Now a herd of many swine was feeding at some distance from them.

31 And the demons begged him, "If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine." 32 And he said to them, "Go."

So they came out and went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and perished in the waters.

33 The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, and what had happened to the demoniacs.

34 And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood.

Reflection

Do you ever feel driven by forces beyond your strength? Two men driven mad by the force of many evil spirits found refuge in the one person who could set them free.

Mark’s and Luke’s gospel accounts describe this force as a legion (Mark 5:9 and Luke 8:30). A legion is no small force – but an army of 6,000 is strong! For the people of Palestine, hemmed in by occupied forces, a legion, whether spiritual or human, struck terror!

Legions at their wildest committed unmentionable atrocities. Our age has also witnessed untold crimes and mass destruction at the hands of possessed rulers and their armies.

What is more remarkable – the destructive force of these driven and possessed men, or the bended knee at Jesus' feet imploring mercy and release?

God's word reminds us that no destructive force can keep anyone from the peace and safety which God offers to those who seek his help.

A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you. ..Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your habitation (Psalm 91:7,9).

Jesus took pity on these men who were overtaken by a legion of evil spirits. The destructive force of these demons is evident for all who can see as they flee and destroy a herd of swine.

After Jesus freed the demoniacs the whole city came out to meet him. No one had demonstrated such power and authority against the forces of Satan as Jesus did. They feared Jesus as a result and begged him to leave them.

Why would they not want Jesus to stay? Perhaps the price for such liberation from the power of evil and sin was more than they wanted to pay.

Jesus is ready and willing to free us from anything that binds us and that keeps us from the love of God.

Are you willing to part with anything that might keep you from his love and saving grace?