Hebrews 11:32-40 / Mark 5:1-20
I wonder if you remember the story about the Elephant Man (Joseph Carey Merrick, 5 August 1862 – 11 April 1890)
He had a unique physical condition that resulted in lumps of ugly growth all over his body.
At that time he was considered a freak because of the distorted features.
Only a few people bothered to look at the man inside those features.
In the gospel, Jesus looked beyond the possessed man and saw a man trying to break free.
He may have already driven out the evil spirits but the man needed a sign of deliverance from the powerful delusion that he was still possessed.
And so Jesus gave him that sign by sending the evil spirits into the pigs.
Jesus used that sign to help the man climb back to sanity so that his disordered mind can be restored to peace.
Jesus healed the man's spirit as well as his mind.
The power of Jesus to heal us and to change us is certainly real.
But we may need to see that power, to hear it, to feel it, before we are convinced of it.
After all we are a symbolic people - we need signs and symbols to experience the mystery of God.
So let us not hestitate to ask the Lord for a sign if we should ever need one.
And let us also be signs to others of all that the Lord in His goodness and mercy has done for us.