This Sermon is prepared by
Rev.Fr.Peter Jayakanthan sss
Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament
Corpus Christi Catholic Church,
Houston, Texas, US
04th Sunday of Ordinary YearConfronting………Conquering…. the evil!Deut18:15-20 1Cor7:32-35 Mk1:21-28Dear Sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus, we shall welcome one another as we enter into this Eucharistic Celebration. It is our celebration of life, reconciliation, memory and communion. Our coming together around the altar signifies our oneness of faith. We pray at this Eucharist, seeking God’s power and our courage to stand-up against various forms of evil, which destroys the oneness and peace of family, the Church and the community.Does evil exist? Why do the media portray the power of evil? Do vampires exist? Does Batman live? Is conjuring real? Why do we exaggerate the power of evil? Why do we use evil power to defeat another evil system and person? Evil begets evil. Evil power cannot destroy another evil power. People often presume that we celebrate Halloween, to identify with evil and celebrate with evil powers. We get different costumes to reveal the possession of evil. Is this the reason for our celebration of Halloween? Why do we celebrate it? We celebrate Halloween to laugh at all the evil. We want to express that evil power is nothing in front of us. We are called to face and conquer the evil power. All saints shower special grace from heaven, because they faced, confronted and conquered the evil, and are now rejoicing with angels in heaven. The readings invite us to realize the authority we receive on the day of Baptism, to say no to evil and all evil practices. When we say, “I do,” I promise to confront and conquer the evil that comes along my path. Our Gospel writer, Mark the Evangelist, was writing to the community in Rome. This community was struggling with how to proclaim the good news and be witnesses. The struggle was due to the fear of the oppressing evil power of the Roman Empire, because it imposed arbitrary religious laws, and used political power to exploit people. For instance, in the Apocalypse, the Roman Empire is identified with “the great dragon, the primeval serpent, known as the devil or Satan, who had deceived all the world” (Ap 12:9). The Christian community was troubled and feared Roman authority and power. In addition, some Eastern religions were spreading the cult of spirits, who acted as false mediators between God and humanity. In pointing to the life of Jesus, how does Mark teach the community to face the evil power? Mark is exhibiting the authority and approach of Jesus to confront and conquer the evil power. Mark places Jesus in the synagogue. Every ten Jewish families formed one synagogue and gathered there for three purposes: prayer, reading of scriptures, and then the explanation and teaching from the reading. Capernaum remains the center of Jesus’ mission. Teaching with authority: The Scribes, teachers and rabbis taught and preached by quoting from the doctors, scholars and authorities. It was not out of their conviction or from their heart. Their aim was to protect the law, and to protect their power. They were not concerned about the protection and growth of the people. Jesus speaks from His heart, speaking out of love and conviction. He uses His authority to proclaim the Good News. Do we teach our children out of conviction or do we leave faith to their convenience? When we say yes to the Profession of Faith at the time of Baptism, as parents and God-parents, with real authority of the heart, we promise to teach our children. It is our responsibility and primary call, to sow the seeds of faith in our families. Why do I hesitate to teach, to share and begin the kingdom of God within my family? Silencing the devil: The power of evil had many names in Scripture: demon, devil, Beelzebub, prince of devils, Satan, Dragon, Dominations, Powers, Authority, Sovereignty, deceiver, father of lies and Lucifer, etc. (cfr. Mk 3:22.23; Mt 4:1; Ap 12:9; Rom 8:38; Eph 1:21). Today when we cannot explain the problem, pain, suffering and sudden loss, we say it is the evil eye, it is the punishment from God, it is the work of the evil spirit, and it is the possession of a bad spirit. We make all our efforts to silence and end the evil. We find remedy through loud prayers, through magic practices, through exorcists, and many other ways. We go to the doctors for medicines, we approach psychiatrists, and we try joining various prayer groups. We forget the call we have received at Baptism. Jesus teaches us to silence evil by confronting and conquering. The work of the devil is leading us astray, taking us away from the path of goodness. We read in Mark 1:12, Luke 4:1-13, during the forty days of Jesus’ desert experience, how Satan was distracting and diverting Jesus towards the easy and destructive path. Even Peter was telling Jesus to avoid going to Jerusalem, say ‘no’ to suffering, and ‘no’ to crucifixion in Jerusalem. Jesus tells him, “get behind me Satan” your path is not of mine”. Satan identifies saying, “What do you want with us Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the holy one of God.” Here, the devil and the evil power is distracting Jesus to take the different path of force to liberate people. Evil is identifying the power of Jesus before others, so that the people would view Him as their king, and through force, use military power against the Roman Empire. The Devil was prompting Him to be a political messiah. However, the plan of God is to bring salvation by destroying death, sin and the devil. His instrument is the humble path of the Cross. Jesus wanted to make it sure that others, and in particular the rivals in Galilee and Jerusalem, not to learn that He is the Son of God until the appointed time, and until He could accomplish His mission on the Cross. So, Jesus silenced the evil power, by confronting and conquering it. He protected His path of mission for our salvation. What are the evil powers around and among us? How does the evil power try to take us astray from the right path? For students: being involved in bullying, being in bad company, and not faithful to parents, may be the path of evil. For youth: becoming addicted to various unhealthy practices, keeping away from faith, not faithful to relationship within family and not sharing their God-given talents, may be the path of evil. For others: not being good examples as parents, failing to protect the sacredness of life at conception, and unwilling to reconcile with others, may be the path of evil. When we follow the path of evil, then we become a slave to Satan. We fail to recognize the authority we have, to confront and conquer the evil power. In a recent movie “God is not dead”, the professor convinces the students in his philosophy class that God is dead. Among all the students who fail to face and stand-up to this evil path of the professor who says “Christianity is the worst virus” one Christian student stands up, confronts the professor and conquers the whole class of students through his lecture and arguments. What is the evil I need to confront? What is the evil power I need to conquer? Do I recognize the authority I received on the day of my Baptism? –Amen. 
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