One of the more disturbing news pieces of this week was the revelation that corporate CEO’s of some of the bailed out banks were awarded over 18.4 BILLION dollars in compensation.  President Obama called it shameful.  I call it a raw, unbridled use of power.  Why did they do it?  Because they could!   

Though some could care less, this is Superbowl Sunday, and in a few hours, the Steelers with perhaps one of the more powerful defenses will face the Cardinals with perhaps one of the more powerful offenses in the league this year.  One team will emerge victorious.  The game will be all about who has the power. 

In one of those little commented upon aspects of the peaceful transition of power that we call a presidential inauguration, President Obama now has the launch codes for the nuclear arsenal of the United States.  He holds in his hands the power to destroy this world, or a country or a city with just the press of a few buttons.  Because of that capability, the President of the United States is often called the most powerful man in the world.   

This Sunday’s gospel is all about power as well.  Jesus appears on the scene in Capernaum, in the synagogue yards away from the house of Simon Peter.  It is not a surprise that he would be there.  Nor were people particularly surprised at the man ‘troubled by an unclean spirit.”  He was a fixture in the area.  If you have ever been a parishioner/stationed at a major cathedral, you’ll recognize the type.  Cathedrals seem to be a magnet for them. These are folks who are always troubled and anxious.  It is more than a situational experience.  These are people who are tormented by demons of depression, self loathing, guilt, failure, broken relationships and fractured faith.  No doubt it takes all their courage to come to the cathedral day after day and week after week.  It probably cost this man the same toll in that synagogue in Capernaum.  He sat among the faithful with all this pain bottled up, all this hurt and guilt chained upside.  He drew at least some solace from the services, some comfort from being out in the community instead of in his self imposed prison.  

And then it happened.  Suddenly his tortured soul hears the good news that Jesus brings and there is an eruption from his soul.  Suddenly he hears the one voice, the one word, the one POWER that can free him.  So he cries out.  And Jesus, who taught with authority had a choice, didn’t he?  Would it be all words and no action – or would it be something else. Would he be thrown off balance by the disruption in his carefully practiced homily, or would it be a chance for him to USE his power.   
 
The gospels record his choice.   

And the troubled man knew freedom because of the power of Jesus.  Power used for service, not self seeking, like the CEO’s.  Power used not to compete and emerge victorious on a football field, but to set free from those inner voices that competed against his freedom for all those years.  Power not to destroy life with the press of a button but to preserve it with the speaking of a word of healing.   

This Sunday – perhaps you are like that troubled man – and you come to hear a word of healing.  Listen to Jesus saying to those inner voices of fear and depression: “Quiet, Come out of you!”  Let the one who spoke to the troubled man speak to your heart a word of power.  And this Sunday, recognize that you and I have power as well.  We have power to make a difference in this world, to use our resources around the things that matter, to listen to and care for those in need. In our families and college dorms and parishes there are people who need our help.  May we use our power as Jesus did – not for ourselves – but for service.