Get Serious!

A sixth-grade teacher was trying her best to discipline a particularly mischievous student. She tried reasoning with him. She tried scolding him. She tried bargaining with him. Again and again, she sent him to the principal’s office. Finally, she called the boy’s mother. “I’m at the point of no return with your son,” she said. “He’s out of control.” To which the mother replied, “What’s the problem?” “The problem is two-fold,” said the teacher. “Number One, his behavior is horrendous. And Number Two, he has a perfect attendance record.”

Today’s Gospel Lesson speaks to the problem that Our Lord, the Master Teacher, sometimes had with His students — His loyal followers, many of whom maintained perfect attendance records. It takes place at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. Jesus had called Simon, Andrew, James, and John to discipleship and, Mark tells us, “immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught” (Mk. 1:21).
As Jesus spoke, a man possessed by an unclean spirit…