Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the First Sunday after Trinity. Our Church Services this morning are at the usual times of 9.15 at St Agnes' and 11.00 at St Thomas'.
If you are unable to be with us in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "New Every Morning is the Love"
Today's Gospel
Luke 8:26-39Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac
Jesus and his disciples arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me" -- for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" He said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.
Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.
Reflection
For many of us, the first thing we think of when we read this passage is about Jesus’ power and authority over evil and devil.
There are many more examples of Jesus and the disciples casting out demons.
But let’s think about the poor man who has been possessed by demons for so long. He has been cast out by the society that he lives in – condemned to make a home in the tombs of the dead. I wonder how that made him feel?
This story takes place in at the country of the Gerasenes. Jesus is now in gentile territory and no longer amongst the Jews, The people here don’t know who he is, and it is clear from the their reaction that they are not particualrly keen to have him stay around. They were afraid of his power and of the unknown.
Just like the possessed man they wanted Jesus out of the way.
I recently spent some time at a mental hospital alongside a chaplain. We were working with people who had all sorts of mental challenges – there were patients there who were bi-polar, or psychotic, or suffering from acute dementia. Others had messed up their minds though a lifetime of taking street drugs, and many were suffering from acute depression.
For some, they were there under a ‘hospital order’ because they had committed serious or heinous crimes and were in hospital as an alternative to gong to prison.
In the six weeks at the hospital I was humbled by the way that the chaplain, psychiatrists and all the clinicians responded and cared for these people. They listened to their sometimes bizzarre claims or rantings and they responded with compassion and respect and human kindness no matter what their background or circumstances were.
Some of the people who had committed serious crimes asked to be prayed with and some even cried. Maybe they were just delusional or maybe they really felt the need to reach out looking for Jesus and forgiveness. Looking for that healing power that Jesus shows in today’s passage.
Through God’s grace and mercy for us, we are by the power of Jesus all capable of being transformed and healed, no matter what we have done or why we have done it. – “for He makes the sun rise on the evil and the good”. [Matt. 5:45].
We are reminded of the restorative and healing power of Jesus’ love for us and his absolute compassion for those who are suffering and tortured. He feels for us all when we are in need.
As a society, sadly it is sometimes necessary to keep people out of harm’s way, but we should never turn our backs on them. As doctors continue to unlock the mysteries of the mind we see many new disgnoses of mental disorder at various levels of severity. Thankfully most do not result in hospitalisation.
There are many who are suffering or tormented but able to hide it at work and in the community. Folk who have enormous burdens dealing with stresses like financial hardship, caring for loved ones who are sick, or facing enormous pressures at work. They might seem like they are coping, until they have a breakdown. It is then that we are called to follow Jesus’ example and surround them with love.
Jesus even showed mercy on the demons – he didn’t expel the evil spirits to the dark abyss for eternal sufferring – rather he ‘gave then his permission’ to go into the pigs and die.
Jesus gives us his permission to and even commands us to look after one another and never turn our backs on the stranger. Paul
Our Prayers
Loving Father,
We thank you for your grace and mercy.
We bring before you all who are inflicted in any way by mental illness.
And we pray for all those who feel they are sinking
under the pressures of daily life.
Loving Lord, we pray for all those working in mental health services;
for Psychiatrists, clinicians, nurses and carers.
We also raise to you dedication of chaplains of all kinds,
Who provide spiritual support and guidance to those in despair.
Lord heal us and save us.
Amen
Today's final hymn is "Dear Lord and Father of Mankind"
