In the small, cramped synagogue of Capernaum, a miracle happened that wasn't just about a demon being cast out; it was about a voice bei...
In the small, cramped synagogue of Capernaum, a miracle happened that wasn't just about a demon being cast out; it was about a voice being found. The Gospel tells us that the people were "spellbound" because Jesus taught with Authority. This wasn't the authority of a badge or a title; it was the authority of the Creator speaking to His creation. When Jesus speaks, the soul recognizes its Maker.
We all carry "unclean spirits." We don't like to call them that, but we know them. It is the voice that tells you that you aren't enough. It is the spirit of resentment that keeps you from forgiving a parent or a spouse. It is the spirit of anxiety that keeps you awake at 3:00 AM, pacing the floor of your heart. When Jesus entered that synagogue, His presence caused an Awakening. The darkness could no longer hide. The man with the unclean spirit shrieked, "What have you to do with us?"
Notice the plural: us. Darkness loves company. It wants to convince you that your addiction, your anger, and your secret shame are part of "who you are." But Jesus speaks a word of surgical precision: "Quiet! Come out of him!" He separates the man from the malady. He sees the person beneath the pain.
To experience this, we must practice a radical Abandonment. We have to stop trying to "manage" our demons and instead bring them to the One who has the authority to command them. Are you tired of the noise? Are you tired of the voices of the world telling you who to be? Today, in this Eucharist, the same Jesus stands before you. He is not interested in your "religious performance." He is interested in your freedom. Let Him speak to the deepest, loudest storm in your life today. Let His voice be the last one you hear before you sleep, and the first one you hear when you wake. "Quiet," He says to your fear. "I am here."
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