“…worse off than before…”

12 December 2016

Matthew 12: 43-45b

  

“When an unclean spirit goes out of someone it wanders through waterless country looking for a place to rest, and cannot find one. Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I came from.’ But on arrival, finding it unoccupied, swept and tidied, it then goes off and collects seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and set up house there, and so that person ends up worse off than before.”

How is it that the best of our efforts often seem to only leave us “worse off than before…?”  We drive the evil spirit out and we feel a sense of relief and of release and of achievement.  The evil spirit that has plagued us has fled and we are back in control of our life. No more sin. No more of this addiction or that abuse or this habitual behavior.  No more resentment and bitterness. No more gossip and back-biting.  No more gazing at others with jealousy or as if they were merely objects for my own contemplation and pleasure.  No more letting the air out of my boss’s tires when the security guard is on break.  I am free of that demon and I am free to move on with my life.

But, it isn’t true.  As the Lord says here: the demon may leave for a time, but when it comes back and finds my house in order, it will return to take up residence –bringing “seven other spirits more wicked than itself.”  And then, I will be worse off than before.  I might as well not even try. I might as well just continue with my sin and my one demon –better the devil you know, than the devil you don’t, as the old saying goes. 

Sometimes when I am reading scripture, I simply want to throw up my hands and cry out:

What on earth do you want me from me?

I’ve been reading Matthew for the past couple of weeks and find many things in this Gospel to comfort me in my affliction and to afflict me in my “comfort.”  But this particular parable is simply perplexing –and fearfully so.   What is Christ saying?  To the early church perhaps He was giving an eschatological lesson and warning of troubles to come, as I find implied in a footnote to my New American “Study” Bible.  However, it seems to me that this is also very clearly meant as a lesson for the individual –as well.  A lesson with psychological as well as spiritual insight.  For me, the paradox in Jesus’s words is often the most important element. And here I find in this apparent lesson about driving a demon away, and cleaning up our spiritual house, the paradox that by making things better, we may –in the end-- only make them worse.  And that troubles me.  And that trouble makes me think that perhaps God is speaking something true, because the truth –though it will definitely set us free-- should rarely make us feel comfortable.

What is the lesson Jesus is really teaching here? Is it a lesson in resignation?  Acceptance?  Or is it a lesson in in vigilance and perseverance?  Yes –you may break your bad habit.  Yes, you may stop your sin.  Yes, you may even have the best intentions and a strong prayer life and good meditation practices and you may have begun praying the Rosary every day and maybe you’ve begun to tithe finally and you are intentionally turning the other cheek and avoiding near occasions of sin –Yes! You are cleaning your spiritual house.  But, watch out.  Sin isn’t about your strength or your habits or your will-power.  Sin is the state of a fallen world, and –like a spilled glass of milk—it spreads into every crack and crevice it can find. 

I wonder if Jesus wasn’t simply offering a fearful prognosis for our fallen state or for the future of the church.  I wonder if, perhaps He was simply explaining a truth of the spiritual life.  That yes, our best efforts will tend to be met --not with glory and hosannas! But with more trials. Despite our best efforts, the demons will come and they will only intensify their efforts to work on us. The more we clean our spiritual house, the more the demons will come to spend time there: tempting us and testing us.  And that makes me wonder if --perhaps-- the real paradox here is that the presence of these demons is a sign of our making spiritual progress? The more we try to clean house, the more we try to be the people God calls us to be --the more demons will come to test our resolve. The more they will try our patience and our perseverance.

As I pray on this, I think:  Herman –wake up.  Be vigilant.  You can’t escape these things.  You cannot escape these trials. The demons are real, and they are coming –even unto seven times seven times seven.  But, don’t be afraid.  Remember –you aren’t alone. And remember it isn't about you or your efforts.  it is about putting your faith in Christ! Trust Him.   Even in my darkest hour, the darkest night of my soul, I am never alone.  Remember: “I am with you always, even unto the ends of the earth.”

When you fail, when your spirit falters, when the demons return (as we know they must) –do not despair.  You are not alone.  It is a hard path to follow, but on His way to the Cross our Lord showed us what we need to do. 

In the words of the prophet Isaiah, I offer you, dear friend, this invitation: 

“Come, let us climb the Lord’s mountain…”