Monday 4th week in ordinary time "Mk 5:1-20" They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when he had come out of the boat, there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who lived among the tombs; and no one could bind him any more, even with a chain; for he had often been bound with fetters and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the fetters he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out, and bruising himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped him; and crying out with a loud voice, he said, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me." For he had said to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "My name is Legion; for we are many." And he begged him eagerly not to send them out of the country. Now a great herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged him, "Send us to the swine, let us enter them." So he gave them leave. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea. The herdsmen fled, and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. And they came to Jesus, and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their neighbourhood. And as he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. But he refused, and said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and all men marvelled. A bit cowardly these unclean spirits, aren't they? Like bullies, they come in groups. Shame on them! A legion of bad angels against one single man. In this battle you can't expect nobleness and fair play. Fair play would be if the devil were to struggle against St Michael, but he doesn't dare. St Peter explains how "the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." Imagine yourself attacked not just by one lion but surrounded by a whole legion of them. Yet God knows this. And He has kitted us out with appropriate means. Firstly, we have the Sacraments, especially the Holy Mass. Holy Communion is the most powerful weapon against the enemy. Then the Sacrament of Confession. The devil hates it! But apart from the Sacraments, the Church also counts on other effective weapons of 'devils destruction': the Sacramentals. They are consecrated objects like medals, scapulars, Holy Water, crucifixes... that indeed help when we use them with faith and when we are trying to live a virtuous life. But remember: they are not 'amulets'. They are spiritual weapons. Have you ever used an insect repellent? We sometimes don't even smell it but insects can't stand being near it. Holy Water, a crucifix or your scapular have the same effect on the enemy. They don't work as if by magic. Their effect depends very much on your faith. Like any weapon, their effectiveness depends on the skills of the user. Little help is a machine gun against a legion of roaring lions if you don't know how to use it! Mary, most fearful antagonist of the devil, teach me to use these 'spiritual weapons'.
