„In their synagogue there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit. He began to cry out: ‘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.’ Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be silent, and come out of him.’ (Mark 1:23)
This passage from the Gospel makes us thoughtful. Who is this unclean spirit that entered this man? In what way does it speak through him?
To understand this, we need to go back two thousand years, when “unclean spirit” could be translated as “unclean breath”. A desire that could lead you to say or do wrong things.
How often do we say things – today as then – gripped by anger or sadness, which we no longer recognise ourselves in afterwards, or which we are convinced we didn't even think? Or do we only become aware of what we have said much later? How often do we do things automatically, without thinking, without being aware of the consequences for others and the wounds we cause by doing so?
This naturally happens when we have lost contact with ourselves, when we are disconnected. To reconnect with ourselves, the first question should be: "Who am I? What do I want to be and what do I no longer want to be?" Loving observation of ourselves is essential to be able to distinguish this and to be able to grow. In this way, we could silence that part within us that we want to distance ourselves from because it contaminates the essence of our soul.
