THE WIZARD OF OZ & THE LEGION OF EVIL
“Then they began to
beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood.”
Mark 5: 17 (NRSV)
With the memory still fresh of the
death of over one-half million Americans in the Civil War, the years after that
bloody conflict caused the nation to lose its innocence. As they say, there was nothing “civil” about
the War Between the States. Those years
before the dawning of the 20th century also brought lethal blizzards
during the winter of 1886-87, as well as a biblically proportioned
Many readers & movie-goers to L.
Frank Baum’s classic do not realize that the children’s tale is actually a
political parable. Dorothy represented
the average citizen. The Scarecrow
symbolized hapless, unintelligent farmers.
The Tin Woodsman typified industrial labor. The Cowardly Lion was the presidential
candidate, William Jennings Bryan. The
Wicked Witch of the East became big, evil East Coast industry enslaving the
little guy, in this case, the Munchkins.
Even Toto symbolized the “tee-totalling” Temperance movement.
Dorothy & her three friends believed in the fantasy
that government, personified by the Wizard of Oz, could solve all of their
problems. What they learn is that they
actually have within them what it takes to make life better. They just need realize their role &
contribute a part of themselves. Although
the man in the
2009 being the movie’s 70th
anniversary, The Wizard of Oz is a
fitting backdrop for Mark’s story about the Gerasene Demoniac & the Legion of Evil. It is not only a story to take literally
regarding Jesus’ powers to heal, but one also filled with allegory. The sub-human, self-mutilating psychotic
antagonist running naked around the town graveyard represents evil &
chaos. The herd of swine carry
particular meaning for Jews as unclean animals.
The demons which possess the animal-like man take the name of Legion, a
Roman word for a battalion of 2,048 soldiers.
The number in a legion closely matches the number of pigs in a herd,
just over 2,000.[2] And the Roman 10th Legion that
occupied
Another connection between Mr. Baum
& St. Mark is that the people want a solution that does not involve any
personal contribution. Dorothy & her
friends see themselves as victims, just as late-19th-century
Americans did. They want the
government’s leaders to solve the problem.
So too, the Galilean townsfolk appreciate Jesus’ help, but want to give
up nothing to aid this crazy man who’s been a sore point in the community’s life
for a long time. (Imagine trying to put
flowers on your relative’s grave with this guy lurking around!) You know they expect Jesus to do it all
without any sacrifice on their behalf, when they beg him to leave.
Why do they beg him to leave? Because the man’s demons took residence in
their herd of pigs, & Jesus is responsible.
They are glad that crazy man is no longer harassing them, but don’t like
the fact that they had to contri-bute something to his wellness. Pigs – their property -- running headlong to drown
in the sea hurt their livelihood. What
might Jesus do next? Imagine someone
destroying 2000 of the Clemen’s family hogs prior to slaughter. Hatfield Quality Meats would be hurting for a
while. We understand why the people are
upset.
But we also need to understand that
the problems which this faith community in Gerasa encounters cannot be
magically corrected by one person, even Jesus.
Everyone must take ownership. If
they want this lunatic healed, something is required of them. As an outcast, he was on his own, but in
order to return to civilization, welcoming him in their midst requires some
give & take on their part, too.
Healing is not magic. We may not
be able to explain it & understand, but it is not sleight of hand. Healing, even one directed by Jesus, involves
the help of the faithful.
As I said, one can interpret Mark 5:1-20 literally
& as a parable.
Let’s go with the symbolism of a parable first.
---- This passage can teach us that bishops,
pastors, lay leaders, & council chairpersons, as faithful, talented, &
well-intentioned as they are, can lead & help a church only when the
congrega-tion itself has a role in creating that change. Pick any issue or goal: something positive or
some challenging handicap. It doesn’t
matter. Without congregational involvement & support, no leader can achieve
success. Everyone committing sacrifices
of time, money, energy, ability, & spiritual gifts is in order. The assistance of others is necessary for
Jesus to achieve such a miraculous healing.
Taking this passage literally, the healing of an
individual does not reside solely in Jesus, or in any pastor or healer. Let’s take a common medical example. The doctor credited with healing someone’s
illness or injury does not work alone, & I’m not just referring to the
nurses in the office. There are that
doctor’s teachers & professors.
There are the scientists & pharmacists who develop & distribute
the curative drug. There are the
physical, occupational, & respiratory therapists, the radiology technicians,
the dietician whose skills create the proper diet. There are the loving, supportive family &
friends. Recent studies even talk about
the salutary role of the florist greening the sick room. Give that doctor credit, please, but also
realize that so many others play a crucial role.
When an individual comes here for healing, through
prayer, anointing, laying on of hands, this is not some private, personal
moment between the hurting person & the one praying for her/him, such that
the rest of you leave or remain quietly cloistered in your pew. The privacy mandates of HIPA (Healthy
Insurer’s Privacy Act) have no role here.
Plus, my fingertips have no magic in them. James instructs us to call upon the elders –
plural – of the church to pray (James 5:14). Jesus says “where two or three are gathered,
there I am in their midst” (Matthew 18:20).
We recognize the Holy Spirit
& its healing powers to be present in the faith community.
Yes, there is
a spiritual gift of healing that can reside in an individual (1st
Cor. 12:9). It resided in Jesus, but the complete success
of spiritual wholeness means others have a role to play. To welcome back the insane outcast without a
loving community to aid in his rehabilitation & re-entry, would mean Jesus
heals a tortured mind, while tortured emotions remain because neighbors continue
to reject him by not including him in their lives. Without them, he would relapse. Jesus is a catalyst & resource to
encourage the community’s role.
I was here for 11 weeks when I was asked to lead a
“Blue Christmas” service. Blue
Christmases are typically held on the shortest day of the year, when light is
least & darkness prevails, symbolizing the emotional effects of a lack of sunlight. Plus, when someone experiences suffering or
loss, the festivities of Advent & Christmas seem out of place to them. They’re
feeling blue amid the festive red & green of the season. Blue Christmas services can be a blessing as
the faith community comes alongside our brothers & sisters in their time of
difficulty over the holidays. We
acknowledge their hardship & make it our chance to live what Mark 5
teaches.
At the service, our director of music & I were
present, as were two worshipers in need of prayer. I wondered where everyone else was. Not that I expected a full sanctuary, but
even a handful of persons to be present with the hurting individuals would have
made such a difference. It broke my
heart that no one else came. The only
two persons other than the worshipers were being paid to be here. Yes, a few days before Christmas was a busy
time, & being that it was a Sunday, folks had “already been to
church.” I, too, had not communicated
the communal nature of healing, the fact that the presence of the faith
community is not only welcomed, but necessary. And I suspected that previous pastors had not
taught this, either. We see
faith-healers on TV & wrongly conclude that one set of hands is all that’s
needed for healing. Mark’s gospel
teaches differently.
Whether the healing is physical, emotional, mental,
spiritual, relational, financial, or any combination thereof, something is
required from that person, yes, as well as from God …& from each of
us. How many of you helped with the loan
fund to bring financial healing to hurting members of the parish family! How many of you pray for & rally around
that member who’s spouse died! How many
of you assist that accident victim by driving them to the doctor or therapy or
to church, or make meals for them! Healing through rituals at the altar rail is no
different. Healing needs us.
Last Saturday, Midtown Parish concluded their
Community Day with wor-ship. At the end
of that service, they invited persons in the neighborhood to come forward for
prayer. As each person stepped forward,
several members of the church surrounded those strangers with their presence
& prayers.
Healing is not just restoring someone to the status
quo, but transforming their total life. Along
with Christ & his Spirit, we have it within each of us to play a role that brings
healing. Don’t underestimate God’s need
for you.
In the Name….
Copyright 2009 by G.D.Knerr at