Posted by The WORD in other words (2018) by Fr Nelson Barbarona SVD – Japan
Tuesday in 22nd Week in Ordinary Time
After my ordination in 2014, I celebrated a Thanksgiving Mass in Poong Nazareno Parish, in Dasmarinas, Cavite. After the Mass, I was asked to go to a house to pray over a young man believed to be possessed by an evil spirit – “sinapian.” I brought holy water, my stole and my hesitant self since I did not have any experience exorcizing evil spirits.
I remember this experience, when I came upon the Gospel today where Jesus said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” He said these words with authority and the evil spirits obeyed Him.
I am not Jesus Christ as to have His authority as well. I may represent the “Word made flesh” but never can I do the same without His guidance and assistance.
In that experience of exorcism when I was a young priest, the only essential thing I brought with me was my faith and hope that God might listen and heal the young man. While I discovered that it was not a case of a man possessed by a bad spirit, but a case of drug addiction, still the influence of evil was palpable in that situation.
I realized that it was not my authority but God’s that I did what I was tasked to do. For in the words of St. Paul, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” I laid my hands and prayed over the young man hoping the real hands of Jesus would touch and heal him.
In a way, I was His instrument, a servant to do His will. I just had to believe. As the Virgin Mary said, “Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum” (Let it be done to me according to your word).
Lord, I believe in your saving word to heal, to restore, to free from sin and affliction those to whom I minister. Your word is power and life.
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