Monday 12 August 2013

Lectio Divina - Legion, the Gerasene

Lectio Divina - reading the Bible in a meditative way, imagining yourself there in that situation, looking for meaning.

The reading for this morning's daily prayers was the story of the man from Gerasa who is so filled with demons he calls himself 'Legion'. As I read it, tears filled my eyes. I understood some of his pain as I have had depression myself and witnessed my husband captive to his own fears. I needed to write what I felt, so I share it with you now....

That poor man;
A legion of conflicting voices
waging war in his head,
tearing him apart,
tossing his battered mind from one to another
like a precious object
thrown by malicious bullies,
while he stood by
helpless and weeping.
The pain he must have felt!
The agony of helplessness
that made him roar and rage,
beyond any man's help - 
how could they see
the war inside him?
How could they know how it felt,
when even cutting your body
to try to release the demons
seems your only help.

And then Jesus came-
Jesus!
Compassion shining in His eyes,
Hope radiating from His healing hands.

And at first the man was afraid.
How would it be to be free?
This terror was so awful,
but it was his terror,
familiar to him.
What - who -  would he be without it?
It had been so long now,
he couldn't remember 
what sanity was like.

And Jesus looked,
and He touched,
and He healed.
And suddenly the fear was gone.
Gone!
The weight was lifted!
The dark, rumbling clouds
replaced with blue sky and sunshine.
He could see again - 
truly see!
The distorted, haunted,
ghost-screaming world
replaced with beauty and love,
and hope!

Then he remembered who he was - 
a beloved Child of God,
wanted, 
protected, 
safe.

And as he wept at Jesus' feet, 
all the angels of heaven
wept and rejoiced with him.
He was Home at last.

Image from Google search 

4 comments:

  1. That is beautiful.
    Oh how we need to remember this part:

    "Then he remembered who he was -
    a beloved Child of God,
    wanted,
    protected,
    safe."


    Thank you so much for sharing. I enjoy your posts they are so carefully prepared, and so very good.

    Blessings to you,

    Bean

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    Replies
    1. Aww, thank you for your kind words! Yes, I agree that part is the bit we need to remind ourselves every day. (But it should have a capital letter for 'Beloved'!) Blessings to you too, my Sister x x x

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  2. Such beautiful words, Juani. I never thought of this reading in that way before and it made me understand how he must have felt after the demons left. Lovely comments x

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Jo! It's amazing how sometimes, when we read the old familiar stories, something just leaps out that you'd never thought of before. Bless you and Rob! x x

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