ONLY THE SERIOUS NEED APPLY
Tuesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time
My dear encountered couples:
The man had an unclean spirit. He was not able to get rid of it or give it up by his own power. He needed Jesus Christ to do it for him. But I wonder if he really wanted to get rid of it, Of course he did, we figure. Why would anyone want something not good nor even pleasant for him?
We are told that many alcoholics don’t want to give up their drinking, that many smokers don’t want to give up smoking. In spite of the threat of liver failure, brain damage, cancer, or whatever, there are people who don’t really want to give up the alcohol or the cigarettes that they are told are killing them.
How serious is anyone who doesn’t want to get AIDS, yet refuses to even try to give up a sexually promiscuous life? How serious is anyone about losing weight, yet refuses to even try to control their eating habits and begin exercising? Habits and lifestyles that are not good for us must first be admitted by us not to be good, and then followed by sincere desire and effort to rid ourselves of them.
Habits of anger, of lying, gossiping, throwing sarcastic and cutting remarks at people, can easily become a part of our personality. To get rid of them we must first want to get rid of them - then try to do something about them. Halfhearted attempts will just not do the trick.
The possessed man was cured by Christ. He’s there for you too - if you are serious. “He commands the unclean spirits with power and authority, and they leave,” said the onlookers.
Did the man really want the evil spirit to leave him? Do you?
