Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Mt 8, 28-34 The kingdom of God has come upon you

(Mt 8, 28-34) The kingdom of God has come upon you
[28] 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. [29] They cried out, "What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?" [30] Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding. [31] The demons pleaded with him, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine." [32] 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. [33] The swineherds ran away, and when they came to the town they reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. [34] Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district.
(CCC 550) The coming of God's kingdom means the defeat of Satan's: "If it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you" (Mt 12:26, 28). Jesus' exorcisms free some individuals from the domination of demons. They anticipate Jesus' great victory over "the ruler of this world" (Jn 12:31; cf. Lk 8:26-39). The kingdom of God will be definitively established through Christ's cross: "God reigned from the wood" (LH, Lent, Holy Week, Evening Prayer, Hymn Vexilla Regis: “Regnavit a ligno Deus”).

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