Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time (July 5, 2017): Pigs and computers.

Genesis 21:5, 8-20a
Ps 34:7-8, 10-13
Matthew 8:28-34
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/070517.cfm

USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/17_07_05.mp3

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

When Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes,
two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him.
They were so savage that no one could travel by that road.
They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God?
Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?”
Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding.
The demons pleaded with him,
“If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.”
And he said to them, “Go then!”
They came out and entered the swine,
and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea
where they drowned.
The swineherds ran away,
and when they came to the town they reported everything,
including what had happened to the demoniacs.
Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus,
and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district.

Let’s update the story of today’s Gospel into modern circumstances. Imagine you work for a company that’s heavily reliant on computers. Your desk is in a small cubicle in a maze of cubicles. When you exercise your legs by going to the coffee machine, you pass by a couple of co-workers who are in wheelchairs, and you wonder how tough life might be for them.

One day, a stranger enters the workplace. He exudes a strong self-confidence, yet he is different from the corporate managers in this company. Although there is something powerful about him, he conveys a strong attitude of kindness. Several co-workers have noticed him, too. They’re peering over their cubicle walls. Who is this guy? Why is he here?

The stranger wends his way to one of the paraplegics. Is he going to fire her? He touches her, and suddenly her computer pops and, with a little smoke rising, her monitor goes blank. Then he heads for the other physically-challenged person, and every cubicle he passes experiences a computer melt-down. Amazingly, the two cripples are now jumping up and down, hugging the man and screaming in outlandish excitement.

The strange man looks around the room, meets the eyes of each person, who, by now, are all staring at what’s happening, and every computer in the room explodes with a shower of sparks.

When this man looks at you, it’s as if he sees directly into your soul and loves you instantly, but — his power is too awesome. His presence is overwhelming the surge protectors of the office equipment!

Then it hits you that until all this damaged equipment gets replaced, you’re out of work. So is everyone else. An uproar has begun. People are yelling at this man to get out before the ceiling tiles come crashing down. Do you join them in asking him to leave? Are you ducking under your desk? Or are you putting down your cell phone to follow him?

This is what the Gadarenes faced when their pigs jumped off the cliff. What in your life makes you afraid to follow Jesus? Is there something so fearsome about God that your reaction is: “My life will change too much if I do what he asks!” or “Not me, I can’t do it!” or “I’m not worthy!” This is how I feel when I’m involved with someone whose problems are overwhelming or I see injustices that are not being cured or there’s so much work to be done in Good News Ministries that I had to quit parish work to make time for it.

The only way to get out from hiding under our desks is to remember the love in Jesus’ eyes. Concentrate on the love. Allow yourself to be drawn in by that love. Even though the demands of this love can be scary at times, the only way to find healing and eternal life is to let Christ’s power overwhelm whatever is unholy in you and drive it away.

Lord Jesus: You want to deliver me from everything that chains, torments and blocks me from being fully joyful. Give me the grace of letting you work in me, not scandalizing and not being afraid of the changes you want to make in my life. Give me docility and courage to receive the great blessings You prepared for me. Amen.