As they approached Jesus, they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion, sitting there clothed and in his right mind. And they were seized with fear. Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happened to the possessed man and to the swine. Then they began to beg him to leave their district. (Mk 5:1-20)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/013122.cfm
“Please, Mr. Jesus, go somewhere else!” As long as the poor man was suffering, “crying out and bruising himself with stones,” folks were fine, but with the crazy man fully clothed and in his right mind, the people become afraid and ask Jesus to please just go. Saint John Bosco (1815-1888) founded the Salesians to work for the education of youth.
These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
Saint John Bosco, presbyter, January 31
