Prayer of the Day

Feast of St. Oliver Plunkett, Bishop & Martyr

July 1st, 2015

Most of our Gospel stories take place in Jewish territory but to-day we meet Jesus in Gentile country.  It is a strange,  lonely area made dangerous by the presence of two fierce demoniacs who lived in the tombs.  When Our Lord arrived these demoniacs met him,  recognized him as `Son of God` and begged him not to send them away but to allow them to go into the herd of swine which was close by.  Our Lord agreed and immediately the whole herd rushed down into the sea and were drowned.

Luke who narrates this story speaks of just one man who was possessed by a legion of devils. (Luke 8 : 26 – 39)  When the devils were driven out the man was liberated and restored to the full dignity of a human being.  Having been washed and clothed he took his place at the feet of Jesus – a grateful disciple.   In the meantime the swineherds had been to the town to tell their story.  The townspeople hurried to the scene to see for themselves.  Sadly they couldn’t cope with these strange happenings, so  they asked Our Lord to leave their territory.  As Jesus got back into the boat the man whom  he had liberated asked to go with him but Jesus told him to remain and tell his own people all that God had done for him.  And that is what he did.  He became an evangelizer in his own home town.

We are called to be evangelizers wherever we may find ourselves.  “Being a disciple means being constantly ready to bring the love of Jesus to others and this can happen unexpectedly and in any place;  on the street,  in a city square,  during work,  on a journey.” (Joy of the Gospel No. 127)