
Richard Rohr offers one way we might understand the exorcisms Jesus performed:
When a person has a constantly changing reference point, they have a very insecure life. They will take on any persona, negative or positive, and become incapable of much personal integrity. This is the celebrity-obsessed world in which we are living today. The biblical tradition uses the language of “having a demon” to describe such negative identity. We post-enlightenment, educated people don’t like this language very much, but one way to think of “being possessed” is when there is an unhealthy other (or others!) who is defining us—and usually rather poorly.
In that sense, I’ve personally known a lot of possessed people. It’s no surprise that Jesus exorcised so many demons from people who seemed to carry the negative projections of the surrounding crowd (Luke 9:37–43), synagogue worshippers (Mark 1:21–27; Luke 13:10–17), or the Gerasene residents (Mark 5:1–20; Luke 8:26–39). The ancients were not as naive as we might think. In these stories, we see exactly what the internalization of negative judgment means. Such people do need healing, even a major “exorcism”! While we tend to send them to therapists instead of holy people, in general, the only cure for negative possession is a positive repossession! Jesus is always “repossessing” people—for themselves and for God.
When a good therapist, a wise and holy (meaning whole or healed) person, or a totally accepting friend becomes our chosen mirror, we are, in fact, being healed! I hope it doesn’t sound too presumptuous, but I think I have exorcised a good number of people in my life—primarily because they had the trust and the humility to let me mirror them positively and replace the old mirror of their abusive dad, their toxic church, or their racist neighborhood. That’s why Jesus says, “Your faith has saved you” (Luke 7:50). I am just saying the same. [1]
Drawing on the healing of “Legion” in Luke 8:26–39, Father Greg Boyle describes a similar experience from his work through Homeboy Industries:
Jesus asks the demoniac who is terrorizing the neighbors, writing on walls, selling drugs, shooting at people, harassing folks as they walk by, “What is your name?” The guy says, “Legion,” which at first bounce means, “There are a lot of my homies to back me up.” But the word actually means “I am what has afflicted me.” The invitation and plea is for healing. And Jesus does. Even though it would appear he “drives out the demon,” he’s actually freeing him of his affliction and asking him not to define himself this way anymore. More liberation than salvation. The demoniac’s “growth” is not about becoming less sinful, but more joyful. He is now connected to a community, having been liberated from his isolation. Jesus has made him whole. [2]
References:
[1] Adapted from Richard Rohr, Things Hidden: Scripture as Spirituality, rev. ed. (Franciscan Media, 2008, 2022), 60–61.
[2] Gregory Boyle, Cherished Belonging: The Healing Power of Love in Divided Times (Avid Reader Press, 2024), 42.
Gabriel Jimenez, Untitled (detail), 2017, photo, Unsplash. Click here to enlarge image. Humble soil and saliva are base elements and essential to one of Jesus’ healings. The capacity for healing need not be elaborate or ostentatious.
Story from Our Community:
I am 33 years old and trying to heal the grief, anxiety and pain caused by being raised by an alcoholic father. Over the past few years, the Daily Meditations have helped me to find meaning in my process of healing from trauma, making me feel that I’m not alone on my journey. I never understood God until I started reading Father Richard’s books. He simplified it and helped me to embrace Jesus as a human and brother, a child of God like all of us. Jesus has become someone I can relate to in my quest for peace, within myself and the world. “Forgive them, for they do not know what they do” is perhaps my greatest lesson in life.
—Nienke J.