NB: This reflection was given on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary

Introduction

Today, we celebrate a great feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and as with all of her feast days, I find myself reflecting on the integrity of the Christian life—how Christianity is not something we can neatly compartmentalize but rather must encompass every aspect of who we are. This is something that is easy for us to forget. We know, of course, that our faith is not something we put on just for Sundays and then set aside for the rest of the week, but it can still be easy to lose sight of how much Christ seeks to transform us, how much he desires to touch and sanctify every single part of our lives.

A friend of mine once preached on this Gospel. As he read the words of Jesus, “Let the little children come to me,” a little girl suddenly leapt up from her pew and stood beside him at the ambo. Unsure of what to do, he gently patted her on the head and said, “Thank you, you can go back to your parents now,” and off she went. It was a sweet and touching moment—until we realize that this little girl may have been the only one in the church that day who truly embodied the heart of a Christian.

It is hard to picture this Gospel scene. The world has changed dramatically over the last 2,000 years. We do not often witness exorcisms today, and we certainly do not see them happening on the streets. In Jesus’ time, however, exorcisms were not sensationalized by the media or turned into the plots of low-brow movies. They were a regular part of life. Demons were believed to be the cause of bad luck, illness, and psychological disturbance. As a result, exorcists were common, even performing their rituals in public. Walking through the streets of the ancient world, you might see people visiting a local exorcist, having prayers said over them. Some of these exorcists were frauds, taking advantage of the people’s ignorance and stealing their money. Others were sincere believers who sought to bring God’s grace and healing to a world in need.