He walks with me & He talks with me

There is no where you can go, Jesus won’t be. There is no god forsaken place you or I can end up where Jesus is not already establish permanent residence. And we can never be lost because Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is vigilant and will not rest until every lost sheep is found. Jesus walks with us. Mother Broderick sings:

I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses; and the voice I hear, falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses. And He walks with me, and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own, and the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known.

The man in the Gospel who told Jesus his name Legion was not the name given this name by parents. He came to be known by this name because of many demons possessing him and causing his mental illness. His name also represented the legions of Roman soldiers occupying his country; stripping him, his family, and his people of their security, dignity and livelihoods. Legion had been sent away by his family because they were unable to care for him. Legion was cast off by the community because of his threatened behavior. He was rejected and feared by people who were oppressed by the Roman government and harassed by Roman troops. This made Legion the lowest of the low. In keeping with his place in society, Legion made his home in the tombs. Legion lived with the only people he could not harm and who could not reject him. Legion was living in a graveyard among dead people.

Jesus, a man despised, rejected and acquainted with grief, visited Legion. Jesus came to his country, a Gentile region occupied by Roman troops. A place self-respecting Jews avoided. Jesus went to Legion’s home, a graveyard, a place those who studied the Torah and observed the sabbath would not go because it would make them ritually unclean. Jesus walked with Legion and talked with Legion. As Jesus walked and talked with Legion, Legion was freed from his demons. The demons begged not to be caste off into the nothingness from which they had come so Jesus sent the into a herd of pigs. This pigs were being raised, fed, and slaughtered to feed Roman soldiers. In an unexpected twist events, Jesus worked with the demons to heal Legion and liberate the community. Sending the demons into the pigs created a food shortage that would reduce the number of Roman soldiers the community had to cater to. Jesus restored Legion to the person he was born to be, a child of God. At the same time, Jesus offered Legion’s family, neighbors and community a chance to reclaim their dignity, livelihoods and security. Mother Broderick sings:

He speaks, and the sound of His voice is so sweet the birds hush their singing; and the melody that He gave to me within my heart is ringing. And He walks with me, and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own, And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other has ever known.

The man formerly known as Legion was frightened. The people in his community were frightened. The town’s people had gotten used to Legion’s fits of madness: his yelling, screaming, and running around naked. They could not imagine him any other way. They were comfortable and safe with him shackled and living away from their homes in the tombs. Legion’s healing and freedom presented risks to their comfort and safety. His family and neighbors were also afraid because they had never seen pigs fly or take swan dives into a lake. Loosing the pigs meant they could not provide food for Roman soldiers who expected bacon with their morning grits, pork rinds in their lunch packs, and roasted pork for dinner. The people were so used to servitude, they could not imagine that running out of food would motivate the soldiers to leave. This fear and failure of imagination lead the people to invite Jesus to leave the country. Because they allowed change to scare them, they were unable to see the opportunities and blessings in their new circumstances.

The man formerly known as Legion asked to go with Jesus because he was afraid. He had been sick for so long and rejected so regularly he no longer remembered how to live among the living. He was afraid of those questions. Aren’t you the man who ran around naked? Weren’t you the one whose violent behavior made chains and shackles necessary? Didn’t you live in the graveyard because your family could not cope with you? Rather than deal with these questions, the man sought to leave. A new start seemed easier. A clean slate was less scary. Mother Broderick sings:

I'd stay in the garden with Him tho' the night around me be falling; but He bids me go; thro' the voice of woe, His voice to me is calling.

Jesus refused to take Mr. Legion with him. Jesus knew that anyone who survived demon possession was strong. Jesus knew that a disabled person who made a home for themselves when their family could no longer care for them was resourceful. Jesus understood someone who was open to healing from a stranger after their family, neighbors and community’s rejection was resilient. Knowing all this about Mr. Legion, Jesus told him, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for him.” Luke 8:39 Mother Broderick sings:

And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own, and the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known.

Jesus freed the man and invited him to tell others: I was lost, but now I’m found. I was blind, but now I see. I was dead, but now I live. Jesus freed a man no one imagined could be saved. Mr. Legion was saved so that he could be a poster child for his family and a billboard in the community. The presence of a healed and happy Mr. Legion had the power to kindle hope and faith in others. His presence would witness to God’s intent to care for everyone.

There are times when I have lived among the dead. I bet there are times when you have felt overwhelmed and oppressed by legions of problems. Remember the story Mr. Legion. Jesus sought and found him. Jesus, the good shepherd, is searching for you. When we have become comfortable with the way things are, when we have made peace with oppression, when we find ourselves getting used to death-dealing politics, good enough worship, and social unrest, Jesus appears. He walks with us in the midst of our struggles. Jesus talks with us while we are afraid. Remember this for yourself and share this good news with others.