Unclean Spirits

Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” 

Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet!  Come out of him!” The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee. (Mark 1:21-28)

Most of us, no all of us, have unclean spirits living within us and sometimes taking control over our lives.  We let them.  They are slick tempters.  Skilled spiritual con men and women convince us to do what we otherwise would never consider.  

Envy is one unclean spirit.  The one that convinces us to scapegoat others is especially clever and manipulative.  We easily succumb.  Anger is another that fosters hate.  That spirit is quite dangerous.  A willingness to recognize someone as the “other” needing to be marginalized and disregarded is one of our many demons looking for a place to grow in our hearts they render cold and hard.

Jesus came to destroy those demons.  We must help him by first recognizing them and then expelling them.  We must shout, “Be quiet! Come out of us!”  We are all capable of evicting unwelcome and damaging, unclean spirits.  We must not be obliging hosts for these parasites eating our souls.

Deacon David Pierce