Unleashing evil

Now 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. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.      Luke : 31-33

                                               Jesus drives the demons out of the Gerasene


The swine had been snorting and snuffling for food on that same plot of ground for years. They were unclean; un-kosher.  The demons, recognizing the purity and power of Jesus, begged him to let them enter the swine so that they might escape from the presence of God swiftly. So Jesus gave them permission, and literally, all hell broke loose. The swine rushed to the edge of the bank and jumped off the cliff and into the sea below, where they were drowned.

This story calls to light the ferocity and the unpredictable nature of evil. Evil is everywhere, and evil moves quickly, and stealthily, and intentionally seeks to bring mayhem and catastrophe into the world. We saw it in Paris, in Brussels, in New York, and this week we saw it in Orlando.

As children of God, we reject and condemn evil and speak loudly and courageously against it.  As we do, we proclaim boldly that neither powers nor principalities, nor death nor life, nor things present or things to come can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. .

Stand firm.