If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead

 

 "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.  Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.  

 

"The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'  But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'  

 

"Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'  Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'  And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'  But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"

 

- Luke 16:19–31 

 

On Saturday, we read that Jesus taught, "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.  Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?  And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?  No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon."  Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.  And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.  For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.  The law and the prophets were until John.  Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.  And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.  Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery." 

 "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.  Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom."  Abraham's bosom means heaven, my study Bible tells us.  It notes that Abraham is mentioned among all the righteous because, in stark contrast to the rich man, Abraham showed hospitality to strangers (Genesis 18:1-8).   Jesus tells us that the rich man . . . was buried.  In patristic literature this image is seen as illustrating the state of his merciless soul, buried by the pleasures of the flesh.  My study Bible cites St. John Chrysostom as teaching that this man was already buried in life by "couches, rugs, furnishings, sweet oils, perfumes, large quantities of wine, varieties of food, and flatterers."  That the rich man remains unnamed indicates that he is ultimately forgotten, my study Bible says (see Psalm 9:6).  

"The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'  But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' "  This rich man's appeal to Abraham as a spiritual father is not rejected, my study Bible notes, Rather, it says, Abraham accepts this role.  He calls the rich man son and shows himself to be compassionate even towards the most wretched of people.  The great gulf isn't a geographical divide, but rather it's the complete separation between virtue and wickedness, a separation that cannot be overcome after death.  Also, my study Bible asks us to note that torments have not changed the rich man's heart, as he still sees Lazarus as a servant who exists for the sake of his own comfort.  Moreover, Christ's account in this story is a revelation of the communion of the saints, for here a man who is not even a believer calls out from Hades and speaks with Saint Abraham.

 

 "Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'  Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'  And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'  But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"   My study Bible comments that some patristic sources see this parable being set after the final judgment, citing the punishment and reward received by the two men respectively.  But others see the parable as being set at a time after death, but before the second coming of Christ.  This is evidenced by the man interceding on behalf of his brothers who are still living.  The torment the rich man experiences would be then only a foretaste of his final state.  From that perspective, we learn that the souls of the departed have awareness of and concern for the state of those still alive on earth (see Luke 9:30-31; Matthew 2:18; 2 Maccabees 15:12-16).  However, my study Bible notes also that the intercessions of a wicked man are heard, but avail nothing (contrast James 5:16).  

Clearly, in the context of all of our recent readings, Jesus is telling this parable -- particularly to the Pharisees, whom we were told in Saturday's reading were "lovers of money" -- to illustrate that what we share of our worldly goods with the poor becomes treasure in the heavens (Luke 12:33), or more particularly it allows us to "make friends" for ourselves who "may receive us into an everlasting home" (see Friday's reading).  But the communication between the parties involved, especially after they have passed from life in our world, is really what is intriguing me today.  Christ illustrates His point about the importance of life beyond this world -- and how much we take it into consideration -- by making it clear that life doesn't end when we think it does, but we go on in another state, and what we do or do not do in this world has something to do with where we wind up, and what that life will be like for us.  In a very secular-oriented world, we're not conditioned to think about that very much.  Once upon a time, it was common practice to consider the end of our lives, that we will all pass from this world.  But a modern mindset does not want to admit of disability, deterioration, infirmity, or death, as if we can find ways to avert these things.   But Jesus' repeated emphasis on charity emphasizes the importance of what our lives will be after we pass from our worldly lives.  Perhaps all of us would be better off if this were the message we take to heart, and begin to consider that life isn't simply over when we pass from this world, but rather continues with new circumstances and under new conditions, which depend upon how we've lived our lives as well.   Christ's emphasis on compassion here stresses that those of us who fail to practice compassion will not be able to realize or receive God's compassion extended to us -- another way to understand the practice of mercy.  "For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:13).  Perhaps Christ's repeated stress on charity can also be understood in terms of the practice of forgiveness.  As we've discussed in the past couple of readings and commentary, Jesus' teachings on forgiveness are linked to debt, as in the Lord's Prayer, in which we consider forgiveness as a kind of wiping away a debt, considering it paid.  He teaches us to pray, "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" and after giving the prayer, adds, "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (see Matthew 6:12-15).  The communion of saints shown in the communication after the rich man's death gives us a sense also of that life that continues under new conditions and circumstances, a sense in which the rich man's place is diminished so that he is now one of less importance and very limited agency, and in which Lazarus has become of higher stature.  This is a picture of the weight or substance that Christ has pronounced on both of them, how God sees these two people, also a consequence of their lives.  The final pronouncement of Abraham is very important, because what that does is give us a type of end to mercy, an understanding that it is, in some sense, limited, for God has exhausted the efforts possible to reach the unrepentant:  "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead."  At some point, a closed mind creates that limit, in which one is no longer reachable, and this we must also take to heart.  It's interesting that the rich man at least pleads for his brothers, teaching us that he does care for someone.  But it emphasizes Christ's point about the practice of mercy:  "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?" (Matthew 5:46).  Even the rich man's concern for the brothers of his earthly father's house doesn't weigh much in the outcome of his life in this place of his torment.   Let us weigh these matters carefully, and consider how our orientation to our own lives and what we count as important play out according to these teachings.  

 

 

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things

 

 "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.  Brood of vipers!  How can you, being evil, speak good things?  For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.  But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.  For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.  

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You."  But He answered and said to them, "An evil an adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.  For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.  The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.  The queen of the South will rise up in judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here."

 

- Matthew 12:33-42 

 

Yesterday we read that one was brought to Christ who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.  And all the multitudes were amazed and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"  Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, "This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."  But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them:  "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.  If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself.  How then will his kingdom stand?  And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out?  Therefore they shall be your judges.  But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.  Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man?  And then he will plunder his house.  He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.   Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age or in the age to come."

 

  "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.  Brood of vipers!  How can you, being evil, speak good things?  For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.  But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.  For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."  Jesus here uses a title for the Pharisees whom He addresses, "Brood of vipers."  This is a title for them that was earlier used by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:7).  Brood means "offspring," and vipers are an allusion to demonic forces, in addition to the description of one who may be venomous in attacking others.  To be "viperous" is defined as one who is spitefully vituperative or venomous.  In Scripture, my study Bible explains, the heart refers to the center of consciousness, the seat of the intellect and the will, and also the place from which spiritual life proceeds.  It notes that when God's grace permeates the heart, it masters the body and guides all actions and thought.  But on the contrary, when malice and evil capture the heart, a person becomes full of darkness and spiritual confusion.  Here Jesus' pronouncements upon these Pharisees and their every idle word refers to their claim (in yesterday's reading, above) that Jesus cast out demons by the power of Beelzebub, understood as the ruler of the demons.

 

 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You."  But He answered and said to them, "An evil an adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.  For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.  The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.  The queen of the South will rise up in judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here."  My study Bible comments that after so many signs, the Pharisees show their wickedness by demanding yet another.  Jesus does not cater to those who demand a sign out of malicious or wicked intent.  The only sign to them, as He indicates here, will be His Passion and Resurrection.  My study Bible also refers to a commentary by St. Ambrose, who writes that unrighteous people, if they do not recognize Jesus as the Christ, will never understand His words nor recognize His miracles.  Adulterous generation was the term the prophets used for Israel, when Israel was unfaithful to God (Jeremiah 3; Hosea 2:2-13).  

Jesus makes it more clear in today's reading that the failure to discern what is holy rests with the beholder, the one who fails to receive and understand.  Jesus' frequent iterations of "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" testify to the same idea (Matthew 11:15,13:9, 13:43).  But in this case in today's reading, Jesus is not speaking to the average person.  These are scribes and Pharisees, experts in the Law, in the Scriptures, and in their interpretation, who spend all their time debating such questions.  How can they miss the indications that Jesus is the Christ?  They are too busy protecting their positions of authority and power.  So, they demand a sign, although there have already been so many signs performed by Jesus.  But in the minds of these men, they are the ones who are authoritative, and it is in their power to rule on what is what.  Jesus has defied them, and so they come up with ways to challenge what He does, including declaring that He works with demonic forces to perform His works, such as the exorcism of the blind and mute man in yesterday's reading (see above).  Jesus goes right to the "heart" of the matter, so to speak, and pronounces that the evil things people do come from an evil heart, an internal kind of disorder which reflects an unwillingness to repent; that is, to seek to know the good and to do the work of rejecting impulses or habits that keep us from a deeper participation in God's life for us.  Jesus notes a tie between what is in the heart, and the words that come out of our mouths, for better or worse, good or evil:  "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouths speaks."   The scribes and Pharisees dig in even more deeply by responding to Christ's chastisement with a demand for a proof from Him.  This results in a judgment of condemnation by Christ.  Jesus cites those figures of the Old Testament who recognized the God of Israel although they were not Hebrews:  the men of Nineveh who repented at Jonah's preaching (Jonah 3:4-6) and the Queen of the South who recognized the wisdom of Solomon and honored it (1 Kings 10:1-13).  These will in fact rise at the judgment to condemn these religious leaders of the Jews, who have abandoned their duties to the people and failed to recognize God's work among them, the "greater than Solomon" who is here in front of them.  All of these things teach us that each of us have a spiritual responsibility to God whether we want to acknowledge that or not.  But of those who already have a particular spiritual knowledge or understanding, a greater responsibility is demanded.  This is the reason for Christ's particular harsh words for these religious leaders.  So we must consider our own spiritual movement forward in faith, and take quite seriously what we learn on the way.  For we will be responsible for what we know, and we will receive challenges to move more deeply into our faith. At a time when many do not take matters of faith seriously, we should consider the warnings of Christ here, for that is what they are.  They are made so that all people know the truth, and so that all consider repentance, and left to us -- to posterity.  Let us be those who can take them seriously, and guide our lives to a good outcome in faith.  Christ reminds us that the treasure of our heart -- good or evil -- is up to us. 

 

 

 

If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead

 

 "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.  Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  

 

"Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'  But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'  

 

"Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'  And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'  But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"

 

- Luke 16:19-31 

 

In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught:  "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.  Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?  And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?  No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon." Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.  And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.  For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.  The law and the prophets were until John.  Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.  And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.  Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery." 

 "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.  Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom."  In today's reading, Jesus gives a new parable, that of the Rich Man and Lazarus.  My study Bible explains here that Abraham's bosom means heaven.   It says that Abraham is mentioned among all the righteous because, in stark contrast to the rich man, Abraham showed hospitality to strangers (Genesis 18:1-8).  That the rich man . . . was buried is seen in patristic commentary as illustrating the state of his merciless soul, buried by the pleasures of the flesh.  My study Bible quotes St. John Chrysostom, who comments that this rich man was already buried in life by "couches, furnishings, sweet oils, perfumes, large quantities of wine, varieties of food, and flatterers."  Note also that the one we know only as the "rich man" remains unnamed -- indicating that he is ultimately forgotten (see Psalm 9:6).  

 

 "Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'  But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' "  My study Bible comments that the rich man's appeal to Abraham as a spiritual father is not rejected.  Instead, we should note that Abraham accepts this role.  He calls the rich man son and shows himself to be compassionate even towards the most wretched of men.  The great gulf, my study Bible explains, is not a geographical divide, but the complete separation between virtue and wickedness, a separation that cannot be overcome after death.   It asks us to note that torments have not changed the rich man's heart:  he still sees Lazarus as a servant existing for the sake of his own comfort.  Finally, this parable by Christ reveals the communion of the saints, in that a man, not even a believer, calls out from Hades and converses with Saint Abraham.

"Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'  And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'  But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"  My study Bible comments that some Fathers see this parable being set after the final judgment, citing the punishment and reward being received by the two men respectively.  Others see this parable as set at a time after death but before the second coming of Christ, as is shown by the man interceding on behalf of his brothers who are still living.  The torment he is experiencing, my study Bible notes, would be but a foretaste of his final state.  From this perspective, we learn that the souls of the departed have awareness of and concern for the state of those still alive on earth (see Luke 9:30-31; 2 Maccabees 15:12-16; Matthew 2:18), but also that the intercessions of a wicked man are heard, but avail nothing (contrast James 5:16).  Regarding this final verse, my study Bible quotes St. John Chrysostom:  "The ignorance of Scripture is a great cliff and a deep abyss.  It is impossible for anyone to be without benefit if he reads continually and with attention."  Moreover, my study Bible adds, the rebellious were not persuaded even when people did rise from the dead (Matthew 28:11-15; John 12:9-11).  

If we read the parable not as delineating for us a physical place, but rather a spiritual location, one in which we find ourselves as a result of disregarding the essential importance of faith, we might see more clearly what hell and torments are all about.  If this is the state of the soul; that is, the state of our life once life in this world is behind us, then what we're reading about is the soul in conditions which are more closely experiencing the energies of God.  The fiery torment of hell, in this light, is the closer proximity to the same fire of the Burning Bush (Exodus 3), out of which the Lord spoke to Moses, or the pillar of fire that illumined the way in the darkness for Israel (Exodus 13:20-22).  By resisting and rejecting God -- which is expressed in this parable quite clearly in its final verses -- we alienate ourselves to this energy, and so experience it as torment.  Seen in this way, the parable also speaks to us of the powerful force and spiritual tool that is repentance:  the desire to change one's mind, and orient the soul in a new direction.  The parable illustrates for us, then, that repentance is a way to place ourselves more closely in alignment with those energies of God, of the Holy Spirit at work in the world, and so to experience God's grace as that in which we participate and are welcome, not as chafing torment.  Repentance, in this sense, offer us a compatibility with the things of God, as opposed to alienation.  When we're afraid of change, afraid to repent, we are really afraid of setting aside our old values and goals, and finding instead the ones which God would give us.  Jesus speaks often throughout the Gospels of the hold that sin and "mammon" can have upon us.  "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin" He says, whereas, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" ( see John 8:31-34).  In this parable, Jesus gives us the spiritual truth in a picture of the soul and its relationship -- or broken relationship -- with God.  It is a kind of warning to us about the preciousness of the time that we have in this world, for as we read between the lines, so to speak, we see that in a place where time ceases to have the meaning it does in our worldly life, repentance becomes even more difficult and our spiritual distance from God a more impenetrable gulf.  In addition to these intriguing topics that the parable brings to us, we should not forget that Jesus gives the parable in the context of His recent teachings, and especially yesterday's reading (above), in which He taught that one cannot serve God and mammon.  What we (and my study Bible) observe about this rich man's behavior toward Lazarus is that it still embodies a type of "transactional" way of thinking -- and one in which Lazarus is viewed as a type of commodity, a servant to use.   The wealthy man does not really repent; he does not come to see Lazarus as a person to whom he's done harm in his neglect.  Instead he seeks to use Lazarus as an instrument to send a warning to his brothers.  The final answer here is clear, that there have been many servants sent into the world to warn and to teach.  The repeated calls of the prophets have already been sent out into the world.  And now the One who speaks will be raised from the dead, the Suffering Servant who will go to the Cross in a saving message for the whole world -- and this will be enough.  Let us pay attention and trust His word.

Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you

 

 Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes.  And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains.  And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him.  And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.  When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him.  And he cried out with a loud voice and said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I implore You by God that You do not torment me."  For He said to him, "Come out of the man, unclean spirit!"  Then He asked him, "What is your name?"  And he answered, saying, "My name is Legion; for we are many."  Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.  

 

Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains.  So all the demons begged Him, saying, "Send us to the swine, that we may enter them."  And at once Jesus gave them permission.  Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.  

 

So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country.  And they went out to see what it was that had happened.  Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine.  Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.  

 

And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him.  However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you."  And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.

 

- Mark 5:1-20 

 

Yesterday we read that on the same day that Jesus had taught the multitudes by the sea with parables, when evening had come, He said to the disciples, "Let us cross over to the other side."  Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was.  And other little boats were also with Him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"

 

  Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes.  My study Bible explains that the country of the Gadarenes was in Galilee, in an area with many Gentiles who lived among the Jews (see Matthew 4:15).  Gadara is the name of a city which was in the Decapolis, a Greek name meaning "ten cities."  We can look at a map and see its area was across the Sea of Galilee south of Capernaum.  As the area was mixed with Gentiles, and strong Greco-Roman influenced, it was not considered a genuinely Jewish land, although many Gentile residents had converted to Judaism during the Maccabean period.  Because many of the Jews in this region had been influenced by the Greek culture and customs, they were generally considered second-class citizens by Jews of Judea.  In today's reading, we can see some of the Gentile influence in the raising of swine, which was forbidden by the Law (Deuteronomy 14:8).

And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains.  And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him.  And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.  When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him.  And he cried out with a loud voice and said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I implore You by God that You do not torment me."  For He said to him, "Come out of the man, unclean spirit!"  Then He asked him, "What is your name?"  And he answered, saying, "My name is Legion; for we are many."  Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.   Let us notice the setting:  this man tormented by demons lives apart from the city among the tombs, in complete disorder and untamed; crying out and cutting himself with stones.  Here the demons recognize Jesus as Son of the Most High God, and they fear torment just as they have tormented this man.  Although the malice of the demons is great, my study Bible says, they can do nothing against the will of God. 

 

 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains.  So all the demons begged Him, saying, "Send us to the swine, that we may enter them."  And at once Jesus gave them permission.  Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.   As we commented above, the swine are an indication of the Gentile presence in this region.  Some assume that those who raise them are Gentiles, but it is more likely that these are Jews who are engaged in a sinful occupation, as Christ forbade His disciples to go to the Gentiles (Matthew 10:5).  My study Bible comments that although the malice of the demons is great, they can do nothing against the will of God, and therefore can only enter the swine at Christ's command.  It says that the immediate destruction of the herd shows that the men had been protected by God's care; otherwise, they would have perished under the demonic influence.  It also reinforces that swineherding was not lawful for the Jews.  Most importantly, it shows the incomparable value of human beings, whose salvation is worth every sacrifice.

So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country.  And they went out to see what it was that had happened.  Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine.  Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.   Those who fed the swine respond to the loss of the swine, and the sight of the healed man -- now sitting and clothed in his right mind -- by being afraid.  They plead with Jesus to depart from their region as they do not rejoice over the healing of the man, but are sorrowed at the loss of their swine.  They prefer things the way they were, and fear Christ's influence.

And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him.  However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you."  And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.  This man is not one of the chosen Twelve, but Christ makes a way for him, and a new life.  He is to go home to his friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for him, and how He had compassion on him. 

It's very important that we notice the difference between the unclean spirits and the nature of God as imaged in the Lord Jesus Christ.  The demons oppress and torment.  They beg Jesus not to be sent out of this country where they have a refuge beyond the reach of the influence of Jewish worship and the God of Israel.  The context is important here, because we see the vast difference between the God of compassion, whom Jesus tells the healed man to extol to his friends at home with his testimony -- and the oppression and enslavement of the demons, whose influence kept this man away from life, and captive among the tombs.  It is this contrast that is important for us to understand, for in the possessed man we also see what can be a common image on our streets of people enslaved to addiction of all kinds, a hopelessness where there is no kindness nor mercy nor compassion, where predators may pass freely among those who are for some reason incapacitated or helpless.  There is a correspondence, at least in effects and appearance, between the enslavement of addiction or the problems of mental illness, and the oppression of the demons who keep this man in complete disorder and unable to live in the place of his home.  We might keep in mind the image of influences that keep out our God of compassion and the "good things" that God will do for us, in favor of those whose lives ascribe to force and coercion and have no time for mercy.   What does not fit with the "law of the streets" is that it is the Lord of mercy and compassion who is the greater power and the stronger man here, who can command the demons and they have to obey Him, and of whom the demons are afraid.  They can use their malice on weak human beings, and malice may terrify us at the hands of others who are ruthless, but their malice cannot bind nor stop the power of Jesus Christ who is the Lord who gives us good things.  It puts us in mind of Christ's words at the Last Supper to His disciples:  "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).  Let us remember that Jesus deliberately set sail through a chaotic storm into this hostile place of unlawfulness and demonic influence, seemingly just to rescue and save this man.  It tells us the truth, that to God a human life is worth every effort to save and to heal, and it is this that Christ teaches the disciples through this episode.  There will always be people who reject, who simply respond with fear to our faith, and there will also be those who are hostile and under the influence of a spirit that is antagonistic to the peace of Christ we seek in our faith.  Possibly we have experiences in our own lives in which we are surrounded by those who cannot share in our faith, even those who oppress us with hostility to it.  Sometimes this is not overt, but in a very real way becomes a spiritual problem for us to face.  But today's reading shows us that, nevertheless, the good things of God are present for us, even if everyone else does not embrace them; even when we are alone or abandoned in a deserted place where no one else cares.  Let us take to heart the new mission of the healed man, who may proclaim the good things the Lord has done for him, and how He had compassion on him, because we find such in our faith as well.

Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him

 Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time.  And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me!"  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.  Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?"  And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.  Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.  So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them.  And He permitted them.  Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.

When those who fed them saw what happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from  whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear.  And He got into the boat and returned.  Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent Him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.

- Luke 8:26-39

In Saturday's reading, Jesus continued speaking to His disciples, after having told the parable of the Sower:  "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."  Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."  Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"    Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"

Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time.  And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me!"  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.  This man lives in the tombs.  It is a symbol of death, of a destroyed life, dominated by the demons who oppress him.  If we look at this picture painted in his description, we see one who is far from "civilization" or what makes human life more "humane."  He wears no clothing, he's considered dangerous enough to be under guard, and bound with chains and shackles, more symbols of his oppressed and life-stopping condition.  Moreover, the demonic violence that seizes him is enough to break his bonds and to drive him into the wilderness, a sign that he is even further away from human society than we can know.   His only company is death and demons.   The demons, as usual, recognize Christ, and they are terrified of Him.  They fear He will torment them, as they torment the afflicted man.

Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?"  And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.  Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.  So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them.  And He permitted them.  Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.   Let us notice how the demons fear the commands of Christ, which they are compelled to obey.   They fear being commanded to go out into the abyss.  Abyss literally means "bottomless" or "depthless" in the Greek, a place of total oblivion, non-existence.  It is also comparable to the lowest depth of the ocean.  For the Hebrews, this is the place of the dead.  (See also Revelation 20:1-3).   The country of the Gadarenes was east of the Sea of Galilee, in the Decapolis, a Greek-speaking region of mixed Gentiles and Semitic people.  The fact that there are swine being raised here, however, appears to be a further indication of "lawlessness."  Given that at this point Jesus' mission is to the Jews (Matthew 15:24), these are likely Jews raising swine to sell to the Gentiles who live in this territory, in violation of their faith.  Again we note that the demons can only enter the swine with permission of Christ.  My study bible says that their totally destructive effect on the herd of swine indicates that regardless of his degradation, the man as human being was nevertheless under the protection of Christ, as they could not destroy him altogether. 

When those who fed them saw what happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from  whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear.  And He got into the boat and returned.  Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent Him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.  We notice the effect of this man's healing on these townspeople:  they respond by being seized with great fear.  They do not rejoice at his healing and the power of Christ to destroy the demons.  But the healed man, understandably among these people, begs Christ that he might go with Him.  Jesus instead gives him a mission; comparable to the apostles, he is sent out to proclaim "the great things God has done for you."

Some comment on this story that the people who raise the swine must be Gentiles, but everything indicates, on the contrary, that these are actually Jews engaged in the unlawful occupation of raising unclean animals.  They are the ones who cannot respond to the power of Christ with acceptance.  Neither do they rejoice at the healing of the formerly demon-possessed man.  They are not only seemingly devoid of compassion, but their values are upside down.  Perhaps it is the loss of the income from the swine that most concerns them.  This is an intriguing story in that it gives us an illustration of an entire community where there is no place for Christ.  They respond to His work only with great fear.  It teaches us, importantly, that there are times when a community, a sort of human eco-system or environment, will be toxic for those who need true healing.  In this environment, the oppression of the demons was tolerated more than the great power of Christ to heal the man.  Furthermore, the community's values are so skewed that the value of a healthy and healed human being doesn't compare to the loss of the swine.  It teaches us, importantly, that the greatest and highest authority is Christ -- God the Lord -- regardless of the value of any idol an entire community may hold to the contrary.  We notice the fearless witness now shone by the healed man.  We don't know where his own house is (to which he is sent by Christ), but he goes through the entire city proclaiming the good news of Christ.  His own house would be his origins, his natal family, where presumably his healing and transformation will have the greatest impact.  Nothing more is known of this man, as we know nothing more of the demons after they drive the swine down the cliff into the sea.  What we are left with is Christ's absolute authority over the unclean spirits, and the choices of human beings either to embrace what He brings us or to reject it.  How about you?  Are there things you are afraid to face that Christ will come to heal?  Hard choices you might need to make about the difference between what is acceptable in your own environment, and where God leads you?  Remember this story; it is one of life and death.  The healed man is one resurrected from the tombs by the power of Christ, and ready to proclaim his good news.  What do you need in your life?   Do you know others so bound and chained, oppressed under a kind of violence, that they, too, need His healing? 

My soul magnifies the Lord

Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord."

And Mary said:

"My soul magnifies the Lord,

And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;

For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.

For He who is mighty has done great things for me,

And holy is His name.

And His mercy is on those who fear Him

From generation to generation.

He has shown strength with His arm;

He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

He has put down the mighty from their thrones,

And exalted the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

And the rich He has sent away empty.

He has helped His servant Israel,

In remembrance of His mercy,

As He spoke to our fathers,

To Abraham and to his seed forever."

And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.

- Luke 1:39-56

In yesterday's reading, we read of the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary, the kinswoman of Elizabeth. Gabriel tells Mary: "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" And he goes on to tell her that she will bear a son, who shall be called Jesus ("God is salvation"). Mary wonders how this can be, and Gabriel tells her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible."

Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth is in the sixth month of her pregnancy, and Mary has just been made aware of what is to come - her own pregnancy. My study bible says here: "The babe, John the Baptist in his sixth month of gestation, leaped in her womb (see v. 15) as a joyous response to the presence of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, in Mary's womb." In the Eastern church, there is a traditional perspective on Mary during her pregnancy with Jesus, that she contained the whole universe in her womb, as she carried the incarnation of its Creator. This scene teaches us of relatedness and ties - these are kinswomen, but at the same time the Holy Spirit works to unite them all in understanding and purpose and spiritual truth. Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit by the very greeting of Mary.

Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!" A note in my study bible says, "Mary receives veneration from both angels and humans. For as did Gabriel (v. 28), Elizabeth also calls Mary blessed. Mary is the model of womanhood. None other has ever received the glory given to her, either in Scripture or in Church history." The "filling of the Holy Spirit" gives Elizabeth an immediate understanding. There is a palpable sense here of touch, of contact, and by that contact the gifts of the Holy Spirit of wisdom and knowledge that fills both women and contains their relationship with one another, and in the great drama for the whole world that is to come, in which each of their sons will play a part.

"But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" A note here reads: "Mary is confessed as the mother of my Lord by Elizabeth. This was no mere man Mary carried. The title 'Theotokos' (the mother of God), given to the Virgin Mary by the Church, was derived from the truth of this confession. For unless that One in her womb was God, the world is still enslaved to sin." Mary's understanding - given to her by Gabriel - is echoed here in the words of Elizabeth, who perceives according to the Holy Spirit. The amazing contact, touch, extension and illumination of the Spirit in this scene is a model of our understanding of the power of this Spirit and how He works with us, among us.

"For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord." Elizabeth confirms what Mary has been told by Gabriel. Filled with the Holy Spirit, she communicates to Mary and shares with her the good news from God. The Holy Spirit creates this connectedness between us, works this way among us -- these two women, bearing two babes, show us the way.

And Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever." And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house. My study bible has a long note which I will quote on this passage: "This passage (called the Magnificat, the first word of this song in Latin) is a remarkable hymn of praise to God. It comes from the heart of Mary, who was probably only 16 or 17 years old at the time, but also from Hannah, advanced in years, who first uttered this inspired prayer (1 Sam. 2:1-10), which had been prayed by expectant Jewish mothers for centuries. From this New Testament passage we learn: (1) Christian believers for all time will honor or venerate the Virgin, for all generations will call me blessed (v. 48). . . . (2) Identity between Mary and Israel is implicit here as the Israel of God, the Church, receives His mercy (v. 54). (3) The reign of God is over (a) our hearts (v. 51), (b) kings and rulers (v. 52), (3) the poor (v. 52) and the rich (v. 55), and (d) the faithful of God (v. 54)."

I see in this wonderful prayer the connection to the whole history of Israel, the people of God, as it echoes the prayer of Hannah. The Holy Spirit creates ties not only among those who share their lives as contemporaries, but extends through time to connect us even to others through experience, meaning, learning, understanding. And it extends not only through the past and those who have come before, but into the future: "henceforth all generations will call me blessed." For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. There is an action of mercy, a lifting up of the state of the humble who serve - and an extension: this mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly. This mercy overturns the order of things: the arrogant and conceited are knocked from their places, while the lowly are lifted up. God's strength becomes the strength of the meek and humble; in God's mercy His power is shared with those who love Him. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. God fills those who are empty, and sends away those who do not and cannot share that mercy themselves. It is an overturning of the order - and those who hunger and thirst for this righteousness and mercy are filled, just as Elizabeth and Mary are filled with the Holy Spirit. He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever. Again, the story of these women is reflected in the whole of the people of Israel, those who serve God, and the Spirit extends its connection throughout the whole of this history, as it is connected throughout all of the Scripture and the Good News. Mary's connection, then, is not merely with her kinswoman Elizabeth and not merely through the ties that will bind their sons in this central historical drama of the Scriptures, but it is with all of us, and all of history. The Holy Spirit does His work in all of us, for each of us, and this story is truly for each of us as well. When we seek to pray and enter in dialogue with our Creator, this story is for all of us, for each of us, and the ties that this Spirit builds extend through each of us, and throughout our spiritual history, and into the future and those who are to come and choose also to be a part of this reality, to be filled with the good things of this Spirit. We are all the "living stones" who fill the earth with the connectedness of this Spirit and the communion and communication He creates among us, within us. All contained in Mary's womb is this universe of creativity and power, that will shake up our world, and fill us with good things. How do you contain that magnitude of gift within yourself? How do you share it with the world, with others? With whom do you make that connection, as did Mary and Elizabeth? Let prayer be the action of the Spirit for you today, and take notice of what happens, and how you feel connected in His work. "My soul magnifies the Lord," Mary said. Truly, so may we all.