Returning to Eden through the Cross
from Give Me A Word Hosted by St. Vladimir's Seminary
From the perspective of a first-century Jew, the account of the man named Legion in the Gospel of Luke would be surprising in several ways. Dn Harrison Russin highlights how Jesus defies expectations by going into Gentile territory (where herding pigs was an acceptable occupation), to save a demon-possessed man living in the most unclean conditions. Furthermore, Jesus is clearly more concerned with healing and restoring the individual man than with triumphantly defeating the hordes of demons who had possessed him. Dn Harrison encourages the hearer to draw parallels to Adam and Eve’s exile from Eden. Just as God provided clothing and a path forward for humanity after the Fall, Jesus restores the man’s dignity and mind, offering a “third tree of life” through the Cross as a means of return to Eden. The homily concludes with a call to recognize Jesus' acts of salvation in our lives, clothing us in His grace and inviting us to live in right relationship with God.
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