A CASE OF THE FURIES

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 3^rd Monday in Ordinary Time is, “A Case of the Furies!”

TODAY’S READINGS

Today’s readings triggered this topic for me. Have you ever had a case of the furies?

In today’s gospel - Mark 3: 22-30 -  we have the scribes, those who could write, those with education, training, those who perhaps have a better position in the community.  Well,  they start a whispering - a gossip campaign - against Jesus.

“He is possessed by Beelzebul …. By the prince of demons he drives out demons.” “He has an unclean spirit.”

Evidently Jesus rubbed people the wrong way. Evidently Jesus got some people furious!

In today’s first reading from 2^nd Samuel  5: 1-7, 10 - we hear more stories about David. This  time he’s has been made King. He ends up ruling  for 40 years - 33 years in Jerusalem. To get his positions and his power, he has to win lots of battles.  As we read about David and the stories in the Jewish scriptures,  we hear about a lot of battles, wars, fights, revolts, revolutions - division of kingdoms and what have you. We hear about a lot of people dealing with “a case of the furies”.

PEACE OR THE FURIES: WHO’S WINNING THE BATTLE?

Peace is often not given a chance.

Peoples inner furies are often released.

I’m sure the evening news for the past thousands and thousands of years has basically been the same.

I’m sure the family news in families has often been the same.

The human heart - is not that different - in all the different places of the world - in all the different moments of our histories.

GREEK THOUGHT

As you know Jewish thought - and Jesus’ thoughts - moved into the Greek World with Paul - and then the Roman World.

The same stuff of the human heart is found in all human hearts - expressed in different thoughts and words and images - and attempts at understanding, “What’s going on here?”

As I read today’s gospel especially - when I read about demons and Satan and unclean spirits - I said, “So what else is new?”

Then the word “furious” popped up - furious - from the Greek idea about the furies.

When was the last time we had a case of the furies?

Someone cuts us off in traffic. Someone with a SUV or a big jeep or big pickup truck - any vehicle bigger than our vehicle - is pushing us - up the tail pipe of our car.  It’s icy. There’s less road with the snow. We’re being cautious.  We’re looking in our rear view mirror and we get a case of the furies. We scream: “Get off my back.” 

When was the last time we had a case of the furies?

Someone jumps ahead of us on line. One of our kids just won’t talk to us. Kids are living together without the benefit of marriage and we’re worried about the impact of that on our other kids.  Our neighbors are slobs. We’re trying to pray in church and people are talking. Someone in church asks us in church how we’re dealing with the death of a loved one. We answer. Someone goes, “Shush!” or gives us a dirty look!  And on and on and on.

We’re furious. Furies can run rampant - red hot rampant - ramming into our heart.

In Greek thought and myths there are the 3 goddesses of vengeance.  that means they are about pay back. They are about the wanting to get back at someone. Alecto is the goddess of anger - constant anger; Megaera is  the goddess of jealousy; and Tisiphone is the goddess - the avenger - of murder. They are some trinity - biting, growling dogs, unleashed within us at times. Someone wrongs us. Someone murders our reputation or our plans. Someone wants to diminish us or take what we have and the goddess of  jealousy appears.

We often mix up jealous and envy. Jealousy has to do with what we have; envy has to do with wanting what others have. I don’t know if they have a specific goddess of envy.

This stuff is in us.

We name them:  ugly feelings, furies, tensions, agita, demons, devils, unclean spirits, what have you.

They divide the kingdom called me.

The scribes begin by saying Jesus is possessed by Beelzebul - that was what folks called in his time: the prince of demons.

Jesus doesn’t smile or laugh at all this in us. It would be good if we did at times, if that meant we are facing our own craziness. Jesus cries. He  knew the human heart. Folks have trouble facing the sights in into their own soul. We prefer to concentrate on others.

We’ve all met people possessed by the demon of anger - ongoing anger. In Greek thought they are possessed by the fury called Alecto.

We’ve all met Megaera when we’re jealous.

We’ve all met Tisiphone  - the wanting to get back at someone who has killed something in us - usually our plans - our will - my way.

To use the words in today’s readings: these furies have become our king or queen.  They have become a stronghold in us. They possess us - putting a stranglehold on us - for 33 years or 40 years - just like David the king taking over southern Israel in his time.

CONCLUSION

Hearing all this we certainly need the Gospel. We need Jesus and his Good News.

Notice as we go through the Gospel of Mark these days. Jesus is walking into all kinds of situations and settings - and meets various people in various states or conditions.

Well, Jesus comes into us - into our city, into our heart, into our temples.

Mark tells me that when this happens, I should expect my furies to  become furious with him. We want to kill him - crucify him. That’s one more reason this cross is up here in front of us. We become like the two different thieves on the cross. We’re divided.

Our household - our family - our kingdom - our me - ourselves - won’t survive - with such inner division - unless Christ is allowed into our possession.

Surprise I got some new insights - at least for me - as I read about this scene in today’s gospel.

Redemption - salvation - help - the key to the door of peace - is right here in today’s gospel. It’s found right here in the paradox and puzzle of the unforgiveable sin.

Listen to the end of today’s gospel again:

‘Amen, I say to you,

all sins and all blasphemies
that people utter will be forgiven them.
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will never have forgiveness,
but is guilty of an everlasting sin.”

Notice the word “forgiveness” - as in “never have forgiveness.”

Notice the mention of the Holy Spirit.

What is this sin that can’t be forgiven?

Well, here is what hit me today. Unless we forgive those we have a case of the furies with, we will remain stuck in our anger, jealousy, or the wanting to kill others. We’ll  be stuck in our vengeance - in our wanting to get back - and wanting to throw stones at others.

God doesn’t do this to us. We can do this to us - if we don’t let go - if we can’t forgive - and we let our furies flame.

But if we forgive another - if we let the breath of the Holy Spirit - howl or shake or whatever - come into our upper room [1] - then peace can happen - because we have forgiven another or others. The Kingdom of God happens to us. We experience peace, serenity, the Kingdom of God. We can say, “Bye bye!” to the furies and the demons and unclean spirits than can ruin our days and nights.

But be careful - they can come running back another day, another time, like a polar or Arctic blast - and we can go crazy with another bout with a case of the furies this time seven times worse than we were before [2]

O  O  O  O  O  O  O

[1] Cf. John 20: 19-23; Acts 2: 1-4.]

[2] Cf. Matthew 12: 43-45]