There’s a Lot of Evil That Needs To Be Cast Out
Friends,
I was struck by one line in today’s Gospel: “So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons…..” I don’t know of any demons here in El Cerrito, but I do see a lot of evil and maybe that is demonic. I see the senseless violence among our young people. I see the exploitation and violence against women and children. I see the wasted lives of those who use and abuse drugs. I see men and women in jail with awfully long sentences. I see good families losing their homes through foreclosures and the loss of jobs after years of faithful work. I see a whole class of men and women and children who are homeless and without hope. I see a deterioration of family life and broken families … Perhaps those are demonic situations, and if so, we need Jesus to cast out these demons in our society. Jesus resisted all evil, and what we have here in the East Bay is Evil with a capital “E.” May we as Christians not be satisfied with taking care of our own. We must also love those who are troubled by various demons. That is the way of Jesus.
This weekend we are having the annual Bishop’s Appeal. Our parish has always been generous supporters of this important appeal. Please do your share. One dollar bill does not do it.
Peace,
Fr. John Maxwell
