Contemplation and Conversation: 2nd Sunday after Pentecost, June 22, 2025

Scripture – Luke 8:26-39 NRSVUE

²⁶Then they arrived at the region of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. ²⁷As he stepped out on shore, a man from the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had not worn any clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. ²⁸When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, shouting, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me,” ²⁹for 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.) ³⁰Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. ³¹They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.

³²Now 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. ³³Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd stampeded down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

³⁴When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. ³⁵Then 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 became frightened. ³⁶Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. ³⁷Then the whole throng of people of the surrounding region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. ³⁸The man from whom the demons had gone out begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, ³⁹“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.

From Brian Mack

The story of the demon possessed individual, as recorded by Luke, needs to be considered in context. It is part of a larger narrative in which the disciples also encounter a severe storm, a woman who continually haemorrhages, and the corpse of a young girl. In each scenario, Jesus is present to the disciples.

Imagine the consternation of the disciples when they encountered the strange man on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Luke provides a vivid description of an individual who was

Naked and could not bear to have clothing touch his skin
Unhoused and living amongst the tombs associated with the dead
Often bound with chains and kept under guard only to periodically find the strength to throw off his restraints and escape to the desert
Called Legion for the unimaginable number of demons that possessed his body (a Roman legion consisted of 3000-6000 men)
Inhabited by unclean spirits who openly resisted the command of Jesus to “come out” for fear of being cast into the abyss

Although we do not generally use the phrase “demon possessed” today, it is not hard to look around and see people who are likewise suffering from the relentless torment of despair in mind, body, and spirit. This suffering is not peculiar to just an individual. In the world of 2025, we are collectively conflicted by economic turmoil, political strife, and a sense of foreboding that we are hurtling toward self destruction. In the midst of trouble, we can bury our heads in the sand, cry “woe us me”, or even give up and be active participants in perpetuating the evils of the world.

As believers in a higher power, however, we can choose a different path – to prayerfully reflect on the lessons that Christ was teaching the disciples through exposing them to difficult situations. Jesus was present to his followers and through his example gave them hope. Through faith, Christ is present with us today and offers us that same comfort and hope. As Christians, our task is to heed the command given by Jesus to the man who was rescued from his torment: “Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.” Thanks be to God.

Contemplation and Conversation

What resonates most with you from this story of the transformation
of a demon possessed individual?

Prayer

Holy God, we give you thanks for the stories of Jesus and the disciples as recorded by Luke.
May we read these stories involving times of trouble with new insight.
Grant us the peace and understanding that comes with the knowledge
that Jesus is ever present to us. Amen.

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