Lent Day 30: See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil

Exorcism or expelling of an evil spirit is found in many religions, primal and other. There are also primal religious forms which have religious performances in which a performer becomes someone else for a while and gives oracles and opinions. Both have been misunderstand in mainline society and religion. Exorcism is done in vulgar forms leading to a life long scar for the person accused of being possessed by a spirit. Religious performances are not evil but religious expressions connected with nature and performed by tribals, adivasis and dalits. 

Despite this, mainline society is obsessed with stories and incidents of possession and evil creatures and people. So much so that all mainline religions are forced to provide religious solutions for such so called possessions. Some denominations even have prayers for it while others get creative and address the needs of the situation. Force and even threats and violence is used to tame the evil spirit. The atmosphere itself is scary and strange. Few people actually seek professional help and guidance of psychologists. 

The 1993 Malayalam movie “Manichitrathazhu” is perhaps one of the rare movies and civil society efforts to find a solution which uses the help of a psychology doctor and a religious priest at the same time. A sort of mutual respect. But the movie was successful in bringing out the serious issue of spirit possession and the ways it is dealt with in traditional societies. In St. Luke 4: 31-36, Jesus encounters a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon. But Jesus’ response is exemplary. The noise and big performance is put up by the man while Jesus is calm and assured. 

It is also interesting that the man with the unclean spirit was in the synagogue. 

Lent is a time when we can challenge many superstitions and wrong thoughts. People are not only concerned with people with evil spirits, but also houses which are possessed. Religious leaders are called in to pray and expel the evil spirits from the house and even building and land. The leaders then suggest change in position, change in main door, change in gate, and digging and putting prayed upon threads, stones and special items for the expelling of the evil spirit and for a change in fortune. 

Jesus did not do any of this. He called upon the spirit, asked it to be quiet and asked it to come out. He then asked them to not identify him and not say that he was the son of God. Lent should be seen as a time to cleanse our mind of such superstitious thoughts. Instead, we should get help for the concerned person by listening, spending time with them, assuring them and then identifying deep seated traumas and experiences which bring about these seizures and so called possessions. Lent is a time to tame, not by violence and superstition, but by touch and prayer. Amen.

Lent Day 14: Discerning Jesus of Nazareth

The church starts and ends prayers in the name of the Holy Trinity, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The collegiality of the three persons, the love of the three persons and the unity of the three persons with mutuality and respect is also a reason for praying in the name of the Holy Trinity. But for people who have simple faith, invoking the name of the Jesus is a normal way of calling upon God. People from other religions also find it easy to understand about and to invoke the name of Jesus. But for all who invoke and call and believe, do we understand who and what Jesus is?

All four gospels in the bible tried to put across the nature of the person of Christ. That he was son of God, that he was the Messiah and that he was Jesus of Nazareth. Many of the stories and narratives are modelled around this. What his disciples saw in him, what the people saw in him. St. Peter identifies him as the Messiah and this is recognised by Jesus. Whenever people are in trouble, when they get up, sit, wake up, eat and sleep, their devotion to God is expressed in a single word as Jesus.

But the gospels bring out another essence of this. Jesus’ enemies and the evil spirits, recognise and acknowledge him as Jesus of Nazareth and the Messiah. Even when the Pharisees and the Sadducees question him, his roots, his beginnings, his teachings and his words, the evil spirits clearly recognise, respect, fear and speak about him. Jesus is well respected even among his enemies and among his biggest enemies. Even when those who are supposed to recognise him and acknowledge him refuse to do so, the people filled by evil spirits call out his name in awe.

St. Mark 1: 24 says, “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.” According to the gospel, this is said by a man with an unclean spirit. There is fear among and respect even among those who didn’t have to mind who Jesus was. But that is not there among his own people and among those who claimed to be religious.

This I fear is the same thing happening now. Jesus is respected more among non-Christians and is seen as a nice person even among those with no faith. But what about Christians themselves? Our acts, our practices and our behaviour suggest that we do not recognise Jesus at all. We do not fear his power, do not accept his name and significance and do not worship him as the son of God. There is no Jesus in our life as a matter of faith. We may use his name for our own benefit but are not willing to listen to him, give him credit for the good things that happen and call upon him with faith and sincerity.

This lent, we can make use of the Jesus prayer which was very common in the early church. People repeated many times, “Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” Lent should be a time when we recognise God and God’s son Jesus. It is also a recognition of his life, passion, death and resurrection. This entire lent is actually about that. A lent without Jesus is no lent at all. As we observe lent, may we undergo a Jesus experience, a Jesus sensibility and a Jesus wisdom. Otherwise even the walls and the spirits will confess and say that Jesus Christ is Lord. Amen.