If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine

4 JULY (Mt 8,28-34)

The only case in the Old Testament which speaks of the devil turning away from a person’s life we find in the Book of Tobit. In all other cases he is presented as the tempter, the one that has a will contrary to God’s and that in any way, deceiving, he wants it to be thought and will of the creature. “When they had entered Media and were getting close to Ecbatana, Raphael said to the boy, “Brother Tobiah!” He answered, “Yes, what is it?” Raphael continued: “Tonight we must stay with Raguel, who is a relative of yours. He has a daughter named Sarah, but no other child. Since you are Sarah’s closest relative, you before all other men have the right to marry her. Also, her father’s estate is rightfully yours to inherit. Now the girl is sensible, courageous, and very beautiful; and her father loves her dearly.” He continued: “Since you have the right to marry her, listen to me, brother. Tonight I will ask the girl’s father to let us have her as your bride. When we return from Rages, we will hold the wedding feast for her. I know that Raguel cannot keep her from you or let her become engaged to another man; that would be a capital crime according to the decree in the Book of Moses, and he knows that it is your right, before all other men, to marry his daughter. So heed my words, brother; tonight we must speak for the girl, so that we may have her engaged to you. And when we return from Rages, we will take her and bring her back with us to your house.” Tobiah objected, however: “Brother Azariah, I have heard that this woman has already been married seven times, and that her husbands died in their bridal chambers. On the very night they approached her, they dropped dead. And I have heard it said that it was a demon who killed them. So now I too am afraid of this demon. Because he loves her, he does not harm her; but he does slay any man who wishes to come close to her. I am my father’s only child. If I should die, I would bring my father and mother down to their grave in sorrow over me. And they have no other son to bury them!” Raphael said to him: “Do you not remember your father’s orders? He commanded you to marry a woman from your own family. So now listen to me, brother; do not give another thought to this demon, but marry Sarah. I know that tonight you shall have her for your wife! When you go into the bridal chamber, take the fish’s liver and heart, and place them on the embers for the incense. As soon as the demon smells the odor they give off, he will flee and never again show himself near her. Then when you are about to have intercourse with her, both of you first rise up to pray. Beg the Lord of heaven to show you mercy and grant you deliverance. But do not be afraid, for she was set apart for you before the world existed. You will save her, and she will go with you. And I suppose that you will have children by her, who will take the place of brothers for you. So do not worry.” When Tobiah heard Raphael say that she was his kinswoman, of his own family’s lineage, he fell deeply in love with her, and his heart became set on her”. (Tb 6, 10-19).

Satan wants to conquer everything: body, soul, spirit, mind, thoughts, wishes, and desires. This way for the man there will be no chance of salvation. But even to this man, who is totally at the mercy of the devil, the Lord manifests his love, his goodness, and his mercy. The only liberation from the power of the devil which is impossible with God is when a man falls into the sin against the Holy Spirit. In this case a man is already a damned on this earth. He is prey to Satan for eternity.

When he came to the other side, to the territory of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him. They were so savage that no one could travel by that road. They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?” Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding. The demons pleaded with him, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.” And he said to them, “Go then!” They came out and entered the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea where they drowned. The swineherds ran away, and when they came to the town they reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district.

Why does Jesus agree that the demons end up into the swine? To teach all men that a person’s life is worth more than all the beasts of the earth. These were created for man, not man for the animals. He wants to teach us that for the true salvation of a person it is right that all goods of the earth are sent down the drain. If we do not put this truth in the heart, we have not understood anything about Jesus.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption; Angels and Saints help us to think like Jesus.