Jesus has been demonstrating a power to heal people, after which “the Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death.” Though threatened with being killed, Jesus persists in healing and shares the power with others. “Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits.” “The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.”
Jesus gives to disciples the power of the Spirit to drive out demons and heal people. Jesus’ witness to the Spirit as a healing power is different than that of the Old Testimony. In the past, the Spirit of God was associated with command and order, for example, prophets being ordered to convert disobedient sinners, and, more so, rulers being ordered to do violence to the disobedient as enemies, claiming they are commanded by the Spirit of their ‘God.’ So it is that all Old Testament commanders believe they are ordered by the Spirit of their God to kill – Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, and more. The world, certainly the U.S. world filled with an Old Testimony believing population, is thus ruled by Presidents, Despots, Soldiers, Police, CIA, FBI, Homeland Security, ATF, Border Patrol, Marshalls, Sheriffs, Prison Guards, Militia, Patriots, Terrorists, Supremacists, and so many more who are obedient to their God who orders them to kill. Hence, they are unlikely to ever stop their killing. It explains why African American Republican, Mark Robinson, who is the North Carolina Lt. Gov. made his latest statement of violent belief. He is a member of MAGA, a violence instigating organization. He denies the Holocaust, makes anti Jewish, Muslim, gay, and trans statements, and rejects gun safety recently calling the student survivors of the Parkland High School shooting, “spoiled, angry, know it all children.” In his latest statement of belief, Robinson asserted/forecast/promised, “Some people need killing.” The self-titled Christian made his violent statement of belief during a recent campaign speech for Governor, “We now find ourselves struggling with people who have evil intent… Get mad at me if you want to. Some folks need killing! It’s time for somebody to say it… It’s a matter of necessity! The further we start sliding into making 1776 a distant memory… the tenets of socialism and communism start coming into clearer focus… They cancel you… They kick you off social media… close down your business. Folks, it’s happening … because we have forgotten who we are.” It is Mark Robinson who, like all MAGA Militarists, has forgotten who he is, or at least, who he says he is. He says he is a “Christian.” It is clear he has forgotten who Christ Jesus is. Because he is anti-Christ, Mark Robinson is someone disciples are struggling with for his evil intent – to kill folks. Get mad at disciples if you want to. Some folks need healing! It’s time for somebody to say it… It’s a matter of necessity! The further we start sliding into making Jesus’ healing power a distant memory… the tenets of a killer-based Militarism start coming into clearer focus… The Militarists cancel you… They kick you off social media… close down your business. Folks it’s happening because self-titled Christians have forgotten who they say they are.
“Let not the man who is beast or who thinks he is God come near me. I am not yet born; O fill me With strength against those who would freeze my humanity, would dragoon me into a lethal automaton, would make me a cog in a machine, a thing… who would dissipate my entirety, would blow me like thistledown… like water would spill me… let them not spill me… let them not kill me.” (Louis Macneice)
Prayer: Beautiful Spirit, I am empowered with the authority to drive out demons of killing.
Question: How has the Spirit been active in my life, encouraging me toward healing?
July 14, 2024 Gospel Mark 6:7-13 Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time