The Spiritual Realm

Don’t you just love a good demon story? In our world where popular culture craves post-apocalyptic/Sci-Fi/fantasy TV shows and movies with zombies, vampires, and witches, a story about Jesus releasing two demoniacs appears a bit mundane though. Were there no werewolves or ogres to conquer? While I am being a bit playful, I have a hard time with stories about demonic forces in the Bible.

I do not think I am alone in the Episcopal Church in having some questions about demons. We keep a tight lip about things like exorcism in this tradition. In fact, the only reference made to it in our liturgical resources is one page within The Book of Occasional Services. It merely urges one who suspects some sort of demon-possession in oneself or another to call the bishop. And yet, Matthew’s telling of the Good News of Jesus of Nazareth overflows with references to demons.

People bring the demon possessed to Jesus for a cure, Pharisees claim that Jesus casts out demons because he is the ruler of the demons (Beelzebul), and Jesus gives voice to a mute man by casting out his demon. Other stories in Matthew and the other Gospel accounts seem to have much more credence in how we live out our Faith in God. “Love God with all your heart, mind, spirit, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself,” (Matthew 22:37-38) makes sense to us. Heck, even the feeding of the 5,000 has some interpretations that allow ultra-rational folk to understand it in a way that applies to my life. When some saw the generosity of a few who offered the bread and fish that led to all sharing the provisions they had brought with them. However, curing people with demons lies outside of my tightly-held worldview. One could choose the route of believing that demons were what we call mental illness, but an experience from my life showed me that there is more to this world than what meets the eye.

On an outreach experience in Quito, Ecuador my group went to a small church one Sunday morning. This community met in a bright yellow school room that sat on the edge of a cliff face that overlooked the valley where Ecuador’s capital city rests. I was completely out of my element at this service. Electric guitar praise music blared through a broken set of speakers, a thirty minute sermon turned into a forty-five minute sermon due to translating it into English, and then came the altar call. When one of the students on the trip wanted to go up I felt the need as group leader to support her decision, even if it made no sense to me. After hearing the prayer both in Spanish and then translated into English I thought, “This is not so bad. It is kind of like the Public Service of Healing.” The student got up from kneeling and she returned to her seat.

At that moment I turned to walk back as well, but the leader of this congregation stopped me. What was translated to me was something like, “You are the leader of the group and you need a blessing.” I waved my hands and shook my head saying, “No, I’m good.” Then he insisted, and not wanting to deny his hospitality and thinking, he’ll just say some prayer, I agreed to the blessing. This is when things got weird.

As soon as this man put his hands on my shoulders my heart began to race, as though it were trying to burst forth from my chest. He spoke words that were being translated, but somehow I already knew what he was praying. His hand touched my forehead and it felt white hot! Then, he said the Spirit is strong with you and this blessing will knock you down. I thought, “No, it won’t!” I had no power over what was happening, though and I fell backwards into the arms of some fellow leaders. There’s a picture of me after this experience and I have this calm look on my face, as though a peace, which I cannot understand was dwelling within me.

As much as I try not to believe in a spiritual realm where demons, angels, and other forces exist, I am almost certain that I am wrong. Just because I do not understand quantum physics does not mean that it does not exist. Jesus was more than aware of the spiritual realm; he encountered it; he tamed its unruly members; he held control even over those parts of reality that we cannot see or have a hard time believing exist.

When the Messiah came among us in the person of Jesus God touched every part of our existence setting it apart as holy! This story of Jesus casting out demons from two Gadarenes (Gad-a-renes) informs us of the thickness of our reality. There is more to life than what meets the eye. While on some level this may appear frightening, Jesus controls even those parts in this universe that we cannot perceive with our human senses. When we trust in God through Jesus strange things may happen, even the casting out of forces that repel God. Following Jesus is not about having understanding, but about having Faith. Have Faith that Jesus is the Lord of all things: seen and unseen!

Respect My Authority!

Eric Cartman from South Park impersonating a police officer

What is wrong with this picture? I am starting off this post about this coming Sunday's gospel lesson with a picture of Eric Cartman dressed as a police officer from the Comedy Central TV show South Park. Why, oh why, would I do something like this? 

Early on in Mark's Gospel account Jesus calls Simon, Andrew, James, and John (we actually heard that story last Sunday), inviting them to follow him. Right after this Jesus begins teaching at the synagogue, which was probably not a building so much as a gathering of religious people. From Mark's telling of the story the religious authority of the day, the scribes, were not too impressive. They were without power. Jesus, on the other hand, commanded respect. Not only did he teach with might, he also healed with convincing results.

During the middle of Jesus' instruction a man with an unclean spirit stumbles upon the religious gathering. This distracting figure even calls out Jesus saying, "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." I will save speculating on what the meaning of the unclean spirit is for another day, but regardless this would have been a critical and potentially deflating moment for Jesus' message and ministry. If he does not respond to the man with the unclean spirit, then all of his teaching with authority will be deflated like a pin popping the balloon that is Jesus' ministry. Yet, Jesus responds by rebuking the spirit saying, "Be silent and come out of him!" The man convulses, the spirit screams, and healing happens. So what does any of this have to do with Cartman?

In the episode in which Eric Cartman impersonates a police officer, the school boy usurps a sense of power behind the make believe badge. He uses one of his most readily available skills, that is being a bully, to coerce others into doing what he wants them to do. While it is funny to hear him say, "RESPECT MY AUTHORITAY!" This is not a commanding moment so much as it is a desperate demand. For no one in a position of power actually gave Cartman the right to police others, his farcical actions bring to the surface a legitimate question about power and authority: Is power something that is given to us or is it something that is earned?

Specifically this question makes me think of politicians, military officers, and police personnel, but also CEOs, other business executives, and even ministers. Do those in positions of power hide behind the authority vested in them or is it possible to earn a sense of respect from others without any favorable position? To me the person of Jesus, who came from a humble background, never asked to receive others' respect. His behavior, his words, and his actions all fell in line with one another, and they all commanded devotion from almost everyone he met. Cartman, and many of us who fear that we truthfully do not have power on our own, must say something like, "RESPECT MY AUTHORITY!"

Of course, we may not always notice when someone is worthy of respect, worthy of honor, and worthy of praise. We are all capable of mistakenly overlooking the power vested in others being who they were meant to be; however, the person of Jesus leaves little doubt in my mind that we respect his authority. In Mark's Gospel God says to Jesus, "This is my Son, the beloved. With him I am well pleased." The author of this text did not make clear if anyone else other than Jesus heard these words. Certainly if they had they would respected him. Yet, Jesus' life seems to fulfill the words from on high. Through calling followers and revealing to the synagogue not only power-filled teaching, but also authoritative healing Jesus never had to say "RESPECT MY AUTHORITAY!" His entire life and ministry said it (and still says it) for him!