The Gospel set for the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, is probably one that most preachers nowadays prefer to avoid. Neither we not our audiences are comfortable with the idea of demon possession, in an age when there is a psychiatric diagnosis for most of the severe disturbances labelled as possession in the New Testament, and we don’t really believe in the reality of demons anyway. So when we read about Jesus expelling unclean spirits from demented souls, let alone permitting them to transfer residence into a nearby herd of pigs, the whole thing doesn’t bear thinking about.
Well I have spent much of this week thinking about the matter in general and this Sunday’s story in particular, and you can listen to my ruminations here. Please leave comments!
Howard Pilgrim