Mark 1:29-39
That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.
John Milton created the word Pandemonium in his epic poem "Paradise Lost" from the Greek words “Pan” meaning “All” and “Daimon” meaning... well... “Demon”. Pandemonium was the place where ALL the demons lived… the Capital of Hell. The question for us though, is what do WE do with the pandemonium going on in this Gospel lesson? This story starts with an understandable fever but quickly becomes a veritable Demon-o-rama! So what are we… a modern-rational-ish people who, at least among those listening here, lean more toward science than toward woo-woo… what are WE to do… how are we to make sense of all this talk of demons?
Some folks dismiss the talk of demons as simply, ancient people trying to make sense of things they didn’t understand. A case of a now known disease like epilepsy, polio, or Parkinson’s. A mental illness that we would now call we borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, or malignant narcissism.
I think that’s probably mostly the case, but one thing I learned studying science was that the more you learn about one specific thing, the more you really began to understand how much you really DON'T know. I think that’s also something to keep in mind as we talk about demons. There remains A LOT out there we still don’t understand. I suspect much of what is still unknown will eventually become clear, but being honest about what we don't know... in things Divine or Demonic, keeps us from being blindsided out of arrogance.
So, what ARE we supposed to do with fevers that don't spike a physical temperature, or the chatty demons and non-medical diseases of our society? In spite of the risk of sounding like a broken record… I honestly think the answer for us is to follow Jesus. I know I say that a lot… one step at a time… walk in Jesus’ footsteps… see the world and the world’s people as Jesus saw them… do the things Jesus did back THEN, for our neighbors NOW. Blah, blah, blah… I know I say that stuff a lot… but that really, really is all there is to say! It’s all just that easy.
And of course… it’s all just that hard as well. Jesus and that fully Divine thing of his, makes living like Jesus look easy. Being entirely human… I seem to have a perpetually harder time “simply following Jesus.” Maybe you do too. The Good News is that these stories show us over and over how Jesus did what he did and if we can look beyond the fantastical Jesus really does model for us HOW we might at least head in that Jesus direction.
In this story, Jesus first removed the barrier that kept Simon’s mother from her calling as a deacon. It wasn't just a calling to making snacks for the boys. Her calling was a calling to Word and Service. As we try to follow Jesus, we too can look for the people who have been kept down by the “fevers” of our time… the things that still to this day keep people from doing what they are called to do… things that would be of service to all of creation. Fevers that don't show up on a thermometer, but are fevers all the same. Racism, misogyny, privilege... those are just some of the fevers that still keep people from using the gifts God gave them to care for the world. Jesus shows us that our job is to do like he did... to reach out to them… take them by the hand... lift them up!
Jesus also gives us in this story the place we are to start. Not in some far off land, but right at our own front door. Start with those who are ready and right there at our own front door. Not everyone is ready for healing or too far away for the moment. Jesus also shows us in the story the power of silencing the voices of the demonic. He heard the voices... he heard the hate. He read the Tweet. He saw the post. He saw the outrageous statement on the news. But he chose not to give that voice any more reach. The spread of the demonic voices, ended with him.
Jesus also shows us the power of sabbath. Not running from the problems, but a time to recharge and reorient for his real mission. Then, even when the disciples, using their best fishing techniques, tried to hook Jesus and pull him back to town, Jesus didn’t take the bait. He didn't let the demonic set his agenda. The healing was important, but he told them, "Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message... for that is what I came out to do."
So what can we learn from Jesus and his pandemonium that might help us through our own pandemic plagued pandemonium filled with the fevers and diseases of white supremacy and Christian Nationalism and the demons that make people believe in cannibalistic conspiracies and Jewish space lasers? Without direction we just stay home and raid our pantries eating panini, pancetta, panittoni and panfried pancakes until our pantaloons pop! So WHAT do we DO here in the midst of OUR pandemonium filled with a pantheon of social fevers and modern day demons?
We follow Jesus, the tried and true. One step at a time. We move toward the people we love. We move toward our neighbors in love... with our words and our actions and our hearts, minds and hands. I know I may sound like a broken sermon record sometimes, but the truth really is, that following Jesus REALLY IS the panacea for our current day panoply of pandemonium. Amen.
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