“And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood.” (Matthew:8-34).
Today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 8:28-34) is the account of Jesus healing the Gadarene demoniacs. What strikes me about this passage is the fact that the manifestation of God’s mighty power resulted in the townspeople demanding that Jesus leave them—not because they viewed themselves as unworthy of His love, but because they were afraid of losing their livelihoods. Contrast this to the encounter of the disciples with Jesus on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35) whose hearts burned within them when He spoke to them of His Truth.
We would think that we could relate to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, but we are dumbfounded by the reaction of the townspeople! But, not so fast. Are we sure? Do we really want the Lord to stay with us, no matter the earthly cost?
Will we ask the Lord to stay or to go? What are we willing to lose for the Lord?
JMJ
