JESUS AND THE PIGS

July 2, 2025 Wednesday within the 13th week in Ordinary Time Year C Matthew 8:28–34 There is something hauntingly beautiful about this passage. Jesus enters the region of the Gadarenes—a place avoided, feared, even cursed. And there, He is met not with welcome, but with violence: two men possessed, outcast, and tormented by demons. Their pain was so fierce that no one dared pass by them. But Jesus did. He crosses into the margins—not just geographically, but spiritually—stepping into the very place where human suffering and evil are most raw and terrifying. It moves me deeply that the Son of God does not flinch. He sees them, not just the demons. And in His seeing, He restores. The demons recognize Him instantly and tremble: “What do you want with us, Son of God?” That question cuts into the heart. Because many of us—wounded, ashamed, trapped in our own silent battles—have whispered that same question: Jesus, what do You want with someone like me? And yet, He answers not with condemnation, but with liberation. He casts the demons out, sending them into the pigs. It’s a powerful act of deliverance, but what pierces my heart is what follows. The townspeople, instead of rejoicing, beg Jesus to leave. Sometimes the presence of healing disturbs the comfort of what is familiar—even if it’s broken. They preferred silence over transformation, pigs over people, safety over salvation. This Gospel wounds me and heals me at the same time. It reminds me that Christ will go where no one else dares—into the graves of our past, into the caves of our fears, into the places people have written off. And when He does, demons flee, chains break, and the possessed become whole. But it also challenges me: Will I welcome Him when He disturbs my comfort? Will I choose people over possessions, freedom over fear, healing over hiding? Because Jesus still steps into Gadarenes today—and sometimes, that dark and dangerous place is our very own heart. And even there, He comes not to destroy… but to save. Blessings Fr. Jhack