One of the lost or forgotten practices in the Christian tradition, I suspect, would be the exorcism. Yes, exorcism. As a hospital chaplain, I get some requests from patients and staff to exorcise someone or a patient room. We see this act of exorcism more often in movies than in our Christian life. And it would be quite terrifying for us to see the version of exorcism that movies describe too often. Imagine the movie “Exorcist” which was made in 1973. In most of these exorcism-related movies, there are always some bizarre scenes in which a demon-possessed person behaves in a strangely horrifying and sometimes disturbing manner.
I call this exorcism as the lost or forgotten practice in our Christian tradition in the sense that its description or understanding has been dominated and distorted by our modern culture, particularly Hollywood films. I believe most of us here at St. Agnes’ are all baptized believers. If you were baptized once or for some twice or even three times, this means you were also exorcised whether you knew it or not. We were at least once exorcised at our baptism. You might want to tell me, “Look, I never had convulsions in my body. My head never spun around. Neither did my voice change into something spooky or spew curses and obscenities.” Of course, you didn’t. Or you might not remember! *Yet, the BCP 1979 clearly includes this practice of exorcism on page 302. This is originated from the ancient rites of baptism from different churches from different places and times. The BCP tries to integrate this tradition fully into its rite of Holy Baptism without mentioning the term exorcism. So, recollect your memory of the latest baptism that took place here. I’m guessing it may be Declan’s. You probably heard all these questions of renunciation of the devil that were asked to the baptismal candidate: Do you renounce Satan and all the spiritual forces of wickedness that rebel against God? Do you renounce the evil powers of this world which corrupt and destroy the creatures of God? Do you renounce all sinful desires that draw you from the love of God? In ancient times, as the baptismal candidate (catechumen) renounces Satan by answering all these questions, the candidate turns himself or herself to face west. This gesture is based on the belief that the west is the sources of darkness. Facing west, the candidate declares a public renunciation of Satan. (Think about our eastward-facing altar we have at St. Agnes’. The east is the source of light.) There’s one more action added. That is the gesture of blowing. The candidate breathes upon the devil who is blown away. This act of blowing, in St. Augustine’s time in the 5th century, was an offensive behavior. Blowing at the emperor’s statue, in fact, was considered treason. After this renunciation of Satan with the gestures of turning oneself to the west and blowing the devil away, the baptismal candidate goes on to what’s called “Contact with Christ” or sometimes “Adhesion.” Then continue the following questions: Do you turn to Jesus Christ and accept him as your Savior? Do you put your whole trust in his grace and love? Do you promise to follow and obey him as your Lord? One practice that the BCP is missing in comparison to the ancient rites of baptism is the first anointing. It’s the practice of anointing with the oil of exorcism that is consecrated by the bishop. The sign of the cross is marked with the oil. St. John Chrysostom and St. Theodore believed that the sign of the cross marked on the candidate’s forehead made the devil turn away his eyes.* I guess the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music for the 1979 BCP might have been shy to use the term exorcism in our prayer book. But this practice of exorcism is right there. So I repeat myself that all of us here were exorcised. I made a joke about this to my non-Christian friend. I told him with a serious look on my face that I was exorcised! You can imagine how he would start looking at me. In today’s gospel reading, we actually see this exorcism taken place by Jesus himself at the synagogue on Shabbat. While people there are astounded at Jesus’ teaching for his authority that is contrasted to that of the scribes, there’s one voice that sticks out. It’s the voice of rejection of Jesus. It’s the voice of dissociation with Jesus. The man with an unclean spirit cries out to Jesus, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” This saying of the unclean spirit (notice that it refers to itself in a plural form) seems to recognize who Jesus is while others do not. It’s like the devil knows so much better who is good because that person is the devil’s biggest enemy. The fact that the unclean spirit knows and calls the name of Jesus, however, can be taken as its attack on Jesus. In the ancient times, it was “believed that to possess someone’s name was an advantage.” (Craig Evans, Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible, P. 1069) I’m not sure if you’ve watched exorcism-related movies, almost always the exorcist’s method of casting away Satan is to know its name. Jesus doesn’t step back but silences the unclean spirit with his divine authority. Out of all the people in the synagogue, I find it quite interesting how this man with the unclean spirit sees Jesus. To him, Jesus is not only an exorcist but really a destroyer. He basically cries out in fear that Jesus is there to destroy him. He is completely exposed to the light of God, Jesus Christ. There’s nothing he can hide from or walk away from. His instinct that he would be destroyed is, in fact, correct. Jesus rebukes him saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” Now, I want us to think about if there’s a part of ourselves that is so afraid to be destroyed, not by others but by the love of God. What’s that part that refuses to accept the love of God? What’s that inner voice that lies to you? What’s that evil voice that tells you “You’re never good enough. You’re never going to make it. You’re a total failure and a loser. It is all your fault. Shame on you.”? As we often say, “Old sins cast long shadows,” what are your old sins that you wouldn’t give up submitting to God and accepting God’s love and forgiveness? What’s the part of you that cries out to God, “What have you to do with us?” What’s the part of you that resists to be destroyed by Jesus of Nazareth? Perhaps, being destroyed may be a harsh word and metaphor to be used, yet our selfish or unloving ego is something that has to be rooted out by the work of the Spirit. Jesus says, “I will destroy the temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands.” (Mark 14.58) Allow Jesus to destroy the temple made with your ego, shame, and guilt. He will build the temple of God in you. Let go, and let God. We as Church believe that this temple made with human hands is to be destroyed so that a new temple made with Christ’s hands can be built in us and in our world. This destruction of the temple of our ego, selfish desire, shame, or hate towards oneself and others is nothing but the restoration of our entire being in God. It is the reconciliation. It’s the resurrection. Let us not forget that in our baptism the temple of the unclean spirit in us is already destroyed that we are exorcised and accepted as God’s beloved. With this faith in the restoration and resurrection of Jesus, we go out to the world to listen to the evil voice that makes people distrust and hate themselves and one another. Against that voice, we listen more attentively to the voice of Jesus who says, “Be silent, and come out of that evil loop of fear, anxiety, and hate.” We then proclaim that loving voice of Jesus with his authority to the world of injustice, oppression, and violence. May God strengthen all of us here at St. Agnes’ not only to allow Jesus to blow away the devil in us but also call us to exorcise the world that exercises evil. May we listen to the voice of Jesus and be the voice in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. * This historical background of the rites of Christian Initiation, especially on exorcism, was learned from Fr. Edward Yarnold, SJ’s The Awe Inspiring Rites of Initiation, pp. 4-20. |
Paul"...life up your love to that cloud [of unknowing]...let God draw your love up to that cloud...through the help of his grace, to forget every other thing." Archives
January 2025
|