One of my favorite scenes from The Lord of the Rings is when Gandalf heals King Theoden from Saruman’s possession. This is such an awesome scene of healing. At one point, the possessed King Theoden says to Gandalf, “If I go, Theoden dies.”
And that’s precisely what we see in the gospel today. The demon spirit tells Jesus, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?” We say that to Jesus. Jesus, if you get too close to me, if I get holy, are you going to take away who I am? Jesus, if you get close, am I just going to become a Jesus freak? The closer Jesus gets to us, the more we are healed and the more we become fully alive. If there’s any fear that I will be less of myself with Jesus, reject it. Stay close to the Lord, and you will become a saint, fully alive.
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Christmas Is Cancel Proof!
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Okay, so this is a very solemn day, this is a very somber day. It’s Good Friday. If you have the opportunity to go to your Good Friday service at your parish, the first thing that you will see is the priest lying prostrate on the ground. It’s a sign of reverence, it’s a sign of adoration, but it’s also a sign of vulnerability. On Good Friday, Jesus becomes vulnerable…
