Monday February 1, 2021 - Fourth week in ordinary time - A great prophet arose among us, and God visited his people - Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 5, 1-20 

Dear Christians, the Gospel today tells of the liberation of a man possessed by demons. This event is also Jesus' first interaction with non-Jews, according to the Gospel of Saint Mark. They are pagans, sinners, sick, unclean, belonging to the kingdom of the dead. To list everything that happened to this possessed man is one way of showing that evil spirits have powers far beyond those of humans. In addition, the demons do not spare their power, attacking en masse. The term "legion" is used to describe a group of warriors, made up of around six thousand soldiers, according to Roman tradition.

But in the presence of Jesus, the demons surrendered. All they could do was beg Jesus to go to the pigs: unclean animals according to the Old Testament. Jesus allowed demons to go to pigs because He wanted to show that humanity, especially being a child of God, is infinitely more precious than anything that could be considered wealth. Jesus delivered this man from what Satan could have bound him to: it is the work of Jesus, He sympathizes with human suffering, He delivers and restores the image of God corrupted by sin. The demons are completely defeated, and the kingdom of God is gradually established.

May we have the same gaze as Jesus, take part in his mission, because we have been released to deliver, redeemed to save and educated to proclaim it. Amen.