Mark, here, very early in his Gospel, presents Jesus His being in opposition to the Scribes, as he does through out the whole Gospel. Mark also pictures Jesus as having “authority” or “power” over the physical elements as well as spiritual. He can cure, calm the sea and winds as well as souls and spirits.

So in our Gospel for the Eucharistic Liturgy for today, Jesus moves into the synagogue beginning His replacement of the religious leaders exactly in their home court. Of course they have been hearing about His teachings and “mighty deeds” done elsewhere. This then sets the stage for a “driving-out” authoritative gesture.

There is a demoniac, possessed by Evil Spirits. They ask Jesus if He is going to drive them out, or is it not so much a question as a statement about the “authority” of Jesus. The Spirits know Who Jesus is and what is His Mission. To their statements Jesus simply replies, “Quiet, come out of Him.” Yes, the Evil Spirits obey Him!

The “war within” is waged between the creative  spirit of God and the uncreative spirit of the Evil One. It is noticeable within me and other people of belief that the Good Spirit moves us away from the “Spiritual Parking Lot” of remaining paralyzed with the fears of not having enough gas, flat tires, darkened headlights and burned-out batteries. The Evil demons do not, at first, want humans to do bad things, but rather do nothing good, because of not being able to enter into further creational lives. Little-by-little, inch-by-spiritual inch, we can be convinced of a do-nothing bad, but nothing good either. Those Spirits of “counter-Creation” are speaking to Jesus, fearing that they have lost their power to de-create this possessed fellow.

The Good Spirit of Jesus frees this person to get back on the "Freeway of Creation.” It is not written, but the reader and listener to this event knows within her-him, the doing-something creatively is the man’s response and is our own.

Any good work, idea, desire is available for the Evil Spirit to quietly suggest that each of us does not have, is not, quite good enough for the creational movement. The gooder an inspiration, desire, activity is, the more we will be available to the uncreative, put-it-in park for a while until the good desire is not so desirable. The couch or Lazy Boy chair are very attractive places to un-consider our adventuring into His power, His authority, His Spirit.

One can become accustomed to winning the “War Within” by listening to the Distroyer and sending it back to hell and then just doing something simply Good. Now back to my Lazy-Boy prayer-chair.