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| “Jesus Casts out an Unclean Spirit” by Bernard Picart, c.~ 1673-1733 |
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading I: 1
Samuel 1:9-20
Hannah rose after a meal at Shiloh ,
and presented herself before
the LORD;
at the time, Eli the priest
was sitting on a chair
near the doorpost of the
LORD’s temple.
In her bitterness she prayed
to the LORD, weeping copiously,
and she made a vow,
promising: “O LORD of hosts,
if you look with pity on the
misery of your handmaid,
if you remember me and do not
forget me,
if you give your handmaid a
male child,
I will give him to the LORD
for as long as he lives;
neither wine nor liquor shall
he drink,
and no razor shall ever touch
his head.”
As she remained long at
prayer before the LORD,
Eli watched her mouth, for
Hannah was praying silently;
though her lips were moving,
her voice could not be heard.
Eli, thinking her drunk, said
to her,
“How long will you make a
drunken show of yourself?
Sober up from your wine!”
“It isn’t that, my lord,”
Hannah answered.
“I am an unhappy woman.
I have had neither wine nor
liquor;
I was only pouring out my
troubles to the LORD.
Do not think your handmaid a
ne’er-do-well;
my prayer has been prompted
by my deep sorrow and misery.”
Eli said, “Go in peace,
and may the God of Israel
grant you what you have asked of him.”
She replied, “Think kindly of
your maidservant,” and left.
She went to her quarters, ate
and drank with her husband,
and no longer appeared
downcast.
Early the next morning they
worshiped before the LORD,
and then returned to their
home in Ramah.
When Elkanah had relations
with his wife Hannah,
the LORD remembered her.
She conceived, and at the end
of her term bore a son
whom she called Samuel, since
she had asked the LORD for him.
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Commentary on 1
Sm 1:9-20
Much of this
passage is a prayer from Hannah to God. It takes the form of an offered
covenant, if you (God) do this, I (Hannah) will do that. In this instance,
Hannah offers a male child given in answer to her prayer as a nazir – one
completely dedicated to God. (Nazirite: from
the Hebrew word nazir, meaning "set apart as sacred, dedicated,
vowed." The nazirite vow could be either for a limited period or for life.
Those bound by this vow had to abstain from all the products of the grapevine,
from cutting or shaving their hair, and from contact with a corpse. They were
regarded as men of God like the prophets; cf Amos 2:11-12 , see also Numbers 6:1-3).
The priest Eli, after
discovering that Hannah’s behavior was from grief not intoxication, offered her
solace and a blessing. The prayer of
Hannah is answered with the conception and birth of Samuel.
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Responsorial Psalm: 1
Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd
R. (see 1) My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
“My heart exults in the LORD,
my horn is exalted in my God.
I have swallowed up my
enemies;
I rejoice in my victory.”
R. My heart exults in the
Lord, my Savior.
“The bows of the mighty are
broken,
while the tottering gird on
strength.
The well-fed hire themselves
out for bread,
while the hungry batten on
spoil.
The barren wife bears seven
sons,
while the mother of many
languishes.”
R. My heart exults in the
Lord, my Savior.
“The LORD puts to death and
gives life;
he casts down to the nether
world;
he raises up again.
The LORD makes poor and makes
rich;
he humbles, he also exalts.”
R. My heart exults in the
Lord, my Savior.
“He raises the needy from the
dust;
from the dung heap he lifts
up the poor,
To seat them with nobles
and make a glorious throne
their heritage.”
R. My heart exults in the
Lord, my Savior.
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Commentary on 1
Sm 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd
“A hymn
attributed to Hannah, the mother of Samuel, as her thanksgiving to God because
she has borne a son despite her previous sterility. She praises God as the
helper of the weak (1 Samuel 2:1-2), who casts down the mighty and raises up the
lowly (1 Samuel 2:3-5), and
who alone is the source of true strength (1 Samuel 2:8-10); the hymn ends with a prayer for the king (1 Samuel 2:10). This canticle has several points of resemblance
with our Lady's Magnificat.”[4]
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Gospel: Mark
1:21-28
Jesus came to Capernaum
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 .
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Commentary on Mk
1:21-28
The story of
Jesus’ continuing mission of teaching and healing (including, in this case, the
exorcism of unclean spirits) is captured in this description of one day’s
events at Capernaum
The exchange
between the Lord and this “unclean
spirit” is
instructive. The spirit attempts to gain
mastery over Jesus by using his full name “Jesus
of Nazareth
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Reflection:
The Gospel story continues to
tell of Jesus’ day in Capernaum St. Mark
makes it clear that what the Lord teaches comes from God and carries the weight
of that authority with it. Jesus
commands and the people must answer.
Jesus authority does not end
there. Following his teaching episode
(still in the synagogue) he encountered a “man with
an unclean spirit”. In St.
Mark’s Gospel this refers to demonic possession. Once again Jesus demonstrates the power and
authority of God as he casts the demon out of the man. It is noteworthy that in the exchange between
Jesus and the “unclean spirit”, the demon tries to gain some control over Jesus
by using his human name “Jesus of Nazareth”. The readers
of St. Mark’s time would have seen this as another proof of Jesus’ Messianic
identity. The Lord instead silences the
possessing spirit and commands it to be gone.
More than a simple tale of
Jesus’ life, this story is for us. It
reminds us that the Lord has authority in our lives. Can we reject that authority? Sure, God gave us the ability to reject
Christ’s authority the same as he gave us the ability to sin in other ways as
well. When we reject Jesus’ authority,
when we ignore his teaching we have stepped away from God the Father and have
chosen a path that leads to death. In
order for us to accept the life that is offered, the gift of Christ’s sacrifice
we must acknowledge his authority over us.
Our prayer today then is that
we hear clearly the voice of the Teacher; that we find the strength to bow to
His authority and to put away pride, greed, and any impure thoughts that will
lead us down the wrong path. We pledge
to accept that authority and choose life.
Pax
[1]
ALTRE
[2]
The picture is “Jesus Casts out an Unclean Spirit” by Bernard Picart, c.~
1673-1733
[3]
The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the
Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for
English in Liturgy (ICEL). This re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and
is for private use only.
[4]
See NAB footnote on 1 Samuel 2:1ff
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