The Gospel for this Second Sunday after Pentecost is from Luke 8:26-39. Jesus and the disciples sail across the Sea of Galilee into the Gentile region of the Gerasenes. When they land, Jesus encounters a man possessed by multiple demons. When the demons are cast out, they enter into a herd of pigs which are driven mad and drown. The people of the region do not have a positive reaction. They are terrified and ask Jesus to go away.
The man healed from demons has a very different reaction. He becomes a healthy and positive person. He is clothed and in his right mind. In gratitude, he wishes to accompany Jesus. But Jesus gives the man another kind of mission. The man is called to return to his home in order to witness to God's work in his life. In Luke 8:39 (ESV), Jesus says, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And the man went away, telling everyone he met how much Jesus had done for him. The healed man continues the work of Christ in his own local.
As Christians, we too receive healing from our worst spiritual infirmities. We want to follow Jesus and serve Him. Sometimes, He asks people to follow Him into new and strange places. However, at other times, He simply calls people to return home and tell family, friends, and neighbors what God has done for us. Wherever Jesus Christ calls us to serve Him, our vocation and mission is to be faithful and witness to God's redeeming work through Christ.
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