Casting Out Demons

Psalm 83 or 146, 147 • Psalm 85, 86
Esther 7:1-10 or Judith 12:1-20 • Acts 19:21-41 • Luke 4:31-37

In Luke’s Gospel reading today, Jesus’ ministry of healing begins dramatically. He has returned from his forty days in the wilderness and is teaching in the synagogue when he is accosted by unclean spirits that inhabit a man who spends his days in the courtyard of this holy place. The man may not know who Jesus is, but the demons do. “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God,” cries the chief spirit. Jesus bids it be silent, probably because he isn’t ready for word of his miracles to be spread abroad. But ready or not, once people see the man is now free of the evil spirits, the reports of Jesus’ miracle-working precede him in all the surrounding region.

In the 1970’s, William Peter Blatty’s book, The Exorcist, followed by the movie, created a surge of interest in demons, possession, and exorcism and ignited many a fiery sermon and grocery-store stand quasi-religious paperback. I remember one night, after having read the book late, being so scared I couldn’t cross the living room to the bedroom without the light on, while John and the children slept peacefully in their beds. The next morning I threw The Exorcist into the trash. No one else in my family was going to lose a night’s sleep over that silly book.

Now, decades later, I think about the demons that cost us our sleep and threaten to fill our days.  (Fill in the blank for yourselves here please.) The man Jesus healed was not guilty of any sin to cause the demon-possession, nor are we.  But, day or night, wasting precious God-given time through worry and fear seems a sin. May the Holy Spirit lead us to peaceful thoughts that give us restful sleep and to creative work that makes our days worthwhile and pleasing to God.  

Written by Kay DuVal

Come, Holy Spirit, and help me to practice what I preach. Amen.