A Poem a Sunday

Epiphany IV – B

January 28, 2018

St. Mark 1:21-28 - NRSV

The Man with an Unclean Spirit

21 They went to Capernaum; and when the Sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. 22 They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, 24 and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He[a] commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

Footnotes:

[a] Mark 1:27 Or A new teaching! With authority he

A Poem a Sunday

Epiphany IV – B

Rebuked

“Outcast!

Unclean!

Untouchable!

The evil sprite

had found a life in me.

Did you ever swear

not to do the evil deep within

but when it comes around

you do the sin again?

And like a merry-go-round

you found

self-loathing never ends?

The voice, the choice

and you always choose

to appease the tempting ways.

But then a friend, a prophet kind

touches my deep place,

enters and with compassion

casts out the sprite with grace.

Outcast – cast out!

Echoes in my brain:

‘You are God’s beloved

 ever loved

and ever will remain.’

So now each moment

has its grace

and a new heart

created in love.

Christ has renewed

a right spirit

within me

and I am

free to live.”

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