TwentySecond Sunday after Pentecost Year 2023

No special Ambon Prayer

The Holy Venerable Martyr Anastasia; Our Venerable Father Abraham the Hermit; The Passing of our Venerable Father Abraham of Rostov, Archimandrite and Wonder-worker

Title

Fitting in with Culture or Fitting in with Christ

Outline

Our Gospel is strange in our age

Jesus crosses from Galilee to a semi-Gentile area outside Israel (which we will note later because they keep pigs).

He is met by a man from the city, but because the man is demonized he lives in the tombs (they cannot keep him even in bondage in the city). We do not know what part the man had in the meeting, but the demons are terrified: “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me.” Notice that they accurately know who Jesus is, for, like angels, demons are highly intelligent with infused knowledge. They seem to be trying to play on Jesus’ human emotions, as demons may do, trying to get him to stop the process of casting them out.

Jesus asks for the name of the demons, which is often a function and is not unusual to ask for in an exorcism, and they reply with a number, Legion, 6000 or 7000 troops in Roman military lingo. What they do not want is to go into the abyss, which is not final punishment or hell, but a place, if it can be called that, of aloneness, emptiness, and particularly the absence of God. There is not companionship in the abyss.

They make a deal to leave the man if they may enter the herd of pigs. Such a voluntary leaving is easier on the person and in this cases sets up a situation of contrasts, so Jesus allows them. The pigs, although subrational, are terrified by the demonic presence and stampede into the lake where they drown. A lake is a place of chaos in Jewish thought, so it looks like the unclean demons indirectly sent the unclean pigs to a type of the abyss.

The people of the town or city come out to find out what happened and “found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.” The man of the city who could not be controlled by them is now perfectly sane, sitting at Jesus’ feet. But they are afraid, as he had certainly been afraid before - they fear Jesus’ power in their midst and ask him to leave.

The formerly demonized man wants to be with Jesus, but Jesus has a greater purpose for him, for he makes him a type of apostle: ““Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.” So the man who could not live in the city but in the desert, the tombs, goes back into the city as a messenger from God, while the demons (with the pigs) are in the chaos where they belong, and it is in that chaos that the hearts of the townsfolk long after the pigs.

Could this be a parable of our age?

People want us to fit in, to be within the bounds of a licit culture or subculture, left or right, this nation or that nation, ignoring that they are far from God and in a type of chaos. They are demonized. Even in the Church there are those who want to fit in, “in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.”

Paul was one of these once, but he had been freed by the power of Christ, the power of the cross (and demons hate the power of the cross, the power of the blood of Christ, and the power of Mary, for it drives them out). And that had worked a transformation in him: “far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.” Notice that he uses the term “cross” and “crucify” which were sort of “four letter words” to the people of that day. They send demons into a frenzy. But Paul is living a new life, free from the distinctions of this age, experiencing a new creation; he has been sent back as an apostle to free others.

This, I suggest, explains a lot of what is going on in the world today and it also explains why we cannot fit in so long as we are faithful to Jesus, living the new creation. But we are home, in the city of God, part of the Israel of God, while others to the extent they are hostile are to one degree or another entering into chaos with the demons.

I suggest to you that you reflect on these things.

Readings

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 11-5-2023: Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost

EPISTLE

Galatians 6:11–18

11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. 12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that would compel you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For even those who receive circumcision do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh. 14 But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 Peace and mercy be upon all who walk by this rule, upon the Israel of God.

17 Henceforth let no man trouble me; for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.

GOSPEL

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 10-29-2023: Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost

(23rd Sunday, Slavic)

Luke 8:26–39

26 Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And as he stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons; for a long time he had worn no clothes, and he lived not in a house but among the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me.” 29 For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him; he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters, but he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the desert.) 30 Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. 32 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them leave. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36 And those who had seen it told them how he who had been possessed with demons was healed. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them; for they were seized with great fear; so he got into the boat and returned. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but he sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.

Notes

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) (10-29-2023: Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost)

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2023 | OCTOECHOS

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 11-5-2023: Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost

TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Matins Gospel John 21:15–25

Epistle Galatians 6:11–18

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 10-29-2023: Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2023 | OCTOECHOS

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 10-29-2023: Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost

Gospel Luke 8:41–56 (24th Sunday, Greek) or Luke 8:26–39 (23rd Sunday, Slavic)