We read in the Gospels in Mk 5:1-5 how Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee to the area of the Gerasenes. There amongst the tombs he met a man possessed by evil spirits. When the man saw Jesus coming he ran to him, fell on his knees and shouted, “Jesus, Son of the Most High God, what do you want with me? Promise before God that you won’t hurt me!” This was because Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you evil spirit!” Jesus didn’t hurt the man; in fact he healed him and sent the evil spirits to possess a herd of pigs that ended up dying in the lake.
In modern “Western” countries one doesn’t hear talk much about spirit possession. But in a place like Papua New Guinea it is common to overhear people sharing about such matters. Recently there have been a number of accounts of people accused of being possessed by spirit powers that remove a victim’s vital organs resulting in sickness or death. Sadly the accounts also tell of relatives of the afflicted person beating, torturing or even killing the accused. As a Divine Word Missionary, how should I respond to claims of such black magic or witchcraft?
One response would be to say, “Black magic or witchcraft will not harm you if you don’t believe in it.” This seems reasonable, but unfortunately that sort of response leaves one dependent on one’s belief. If my faith is weak and I have doubts then I am vulnerable to harm or misfortune caused by the malicious spirit.
The above response presumes that black magic or witchcraft are real and can harm you. A further implication is that persons practicing witchcraft or black magic indeed have access to occult powers that can harm. Christian believers can protect themselves with prayer, or protective items such as a cross or rosary beads, or by blessings with holy water. This sounds like a good idea, though it seems a bit like warding off black magic with “white” magic.
A further option would be to say that God is in control and that everything, whether seemingly “good” or “bad” comes from God. Suffering is the wages of sin, or like Job of the Old Testament, misfortune could mean that God is testing you. This explanation might sound reasonable, but really it is a less than convincing response to the perennial problem of evil.
A fourth response might be to say that it is all deception and that when someone gets sick it is better to consult a doctor for a scientific explanation. This is all very well, but it still does not deal well with the situation in Mark’s gospel above, or with equivalent beliefs in a place like Papua New Guinea. In modern terms we might interpret the Gospel story in terms of mental illness rather than possession. Yet, obviously Jesus and the Gospel writer understood it as a case of spirit possession.
I respect the discoveries of modern science and medicine. Yet, those with a scientific background are still often faced with “chance,” “fate” or “bad luck” as their response to the “why did it happen” question. I do not find that very satisfying. That is where faith comes in. I am not so concerned about whether one looks at life from the Biblical worldview of spirits or through the lens of modern science. Whichever viewpoint one takes I still see faith as empowering us to seek constructive and peaceful solutions even to life’s tragedies. The emphasis is on human dignity, following the example of Jesus who taught us to avoid violence, be merciful and to seek healing in a holistic sense. To me, that runs contrary to evil spirits and black magic.
PHOTO: Fr Philip Gibbs SVD, pictured in PNG with a woman who survived torture after being accused of witchcraft.
