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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 .
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mk
1:21-28
Jesus is teaching in the synagogue
at Capernaum. “The account of a single day's ministry of Jesus on a sabbath in
and outside the synagogue of Capernaum combines teaching and miracles of exorcism
and healing. Mention is not made of the content of the teaching but of the
effect of astonishment and alarm on the people. Jesus' teaching with authority,
making an absolute claim on the hearer, was in the best tradition of the
ancient prophets, not of the scribes.” [5] First the Lord astonishes the people
with the “authority” of his teaching in the tradition of the prophets, as
opposed to the scribes, and then proceeds to demonstrate the effectiveness of
his authority by casting out an unclean spirit.
He encounters an “unclean spirit,”
so called because it does not recognize the authority of God. Jesus commands
the spirit to leave and it obeys. God in the person of Christ, after all, has
authority over all things. In this way we see once more the assurance that
Jesus is true God. 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.” The address used by the one possessed, “I
know who you are – the Holy One of God,” is an attempt to ward off the
power of Jesus, not a profession. Jesus rebukes the spirit and orders it out.
The event stirs fear as well as awe in those present.
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
The Gospel story continues to
tell of Jesus’ time in Capernaum. He
begins by teaching in the synagogue. We
are not told what he taught, only that what he said was perceived by those
present as having authority, “and not as the scribes.” Scripture
scholars say that this means the people who heard him accepted what Jesus said
as being binding, that is, what he taught them imposed a burden of obedience
upon them. St.
Mark makes it clear that what the Lord teaches comes from God and carries the
weight of God’s authority with it. Jesus
commands and the people must answer.
Jesus’ authority does not end
there. Following his teaching episode,
while 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.
This story is more than a
simple tale of Jesus’ life 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 Jesus’ authority and choose life.
Pax
[1]
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 republication is not authorized by USCCB and is
for private use only.
[4]
See NAB footnote on 1 Samuel 2:1ff.
[5]
See NAB footnote on Mark 1:21-45.
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