One Minute Reflection – 12 January – Seventh day in the Octave of Epiphany, Readings: Hebrews 2:5-12, Psalms 8:2 and 5, 6-7, 8-9, Mark 1:21-28 and the Memorial of St Benedict Biscop OSB (c 628-690)
But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” – Mark 1:25
REFLECTION – “Jesus rebuked the devil and said, ‘Be silent! Come out of him!’” Truth has no need of the Deceiver’s testimony. “I did not come to get the confirmation of your testimony but to cast you out of what I have created…, I have no need of the recognition of one whom I have vowed to destroy. Shut your mouth! Let your silence be My praise. I want no praise from your mouth, My praise is your torture, your punishment … Silence! and come out of this man!” It is as though He said: “Come out …, what are you doing in My house? It is I who want to enter in, so be silent and get out of the man, he being endowed with reason. Get out of the man! Leave the home prepared for Me! The Lord wants His house – vacate this man” …
See just how precious man’s soul is. This contradicts those who think that we human beings and animals have an identical soul and are animated by a same spirit. In another incident the devil is cast out of a single man and sent into two thousand pigs (Mt 8:32) – what is precious is saved, what is unclean is lost. “Come out of the man and get into the pigs…, go where you want, get along with you into the abyss. Leave the man, My private property, alone … I won’t allow you to possess the man, it would be an insult to Me if you were to make your home in him in My place. I took on a human body and dwell in man – the flesh you are possessing, is part of my own flesh – get out of this man!” – St Jerome (347-420) Father and Doctor of the Church – Homilies on Saint Mark’s Gospel, no. 2
PRAYER – King of heaven and earth, Lord God, rule over our hearts and bodies this day. Sanctify us and guide our every thought, word and deed, according to the commandments of Your law, so that now and forever, Your grace may free and save us. Sanctify our hearts, minds and actions with Your power, that all we are, may speak of Your Light. May the prayers of the Blessed Virgin our Mother and the ever-zealous St Benedict Biscop, bring us to peace and confidence. We make our prayer through Your Son, our Lord Jesus, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen.
AnaStpaul 
Thanks so much for these emails – theyre great!
I was reading the Chief Vatican Exorcist – Fr Gabriel Amorth’s book on Exorcism and he stated that the demons dont actually enter bodies, but they control them. The scripture says otherwise “come out of him”…… and naturally we follow Holy Scripture. Just thought it interesting. I wonder what Fr Amorth bases his comment on?
Blessed year
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Thank you Rita! I am so happy the mails inspire you.🙌
I too have read Fr Amorth’s books but I think, from other understandings, it relates to the fact that they are spirit – therefore, they ‘control’ the person and, although they are not physically IN the body (being spirit) they, nevertheless “enter in” as spirit.
Difficult to explain 🤔
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