Shaking Dust

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick–no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. (Mark 6:7-13)

We all have authority over unclean spirits be they manifested as greed, envy, anger, hatred, arrogance, and sloth.   In other words, we have free choice – free will – and we can use that choice and will for good or bad.  It’s all up to us.

We can drive out the demons if we chose to do so.   Often we don’t, perhaps because we have “no food, no sack, no money in our belts.”  People who are hard-pressed can yield to temptations of all sorts.  Then again, those with food aplenty, sacks (goods), and no shortage of money usually are the ones who succumb and let the demons run and ruin their lives.

We need to heed Jesus and shake the dust off our feet and minds - to confront evil in all its many forms.  When we do so, we can cure the demon-induced sicknesses.  Jesus is our remedy.

Deacon David Pierce