Midweek Message: No one is beyond God’s love and mercy
Pioneer Sophia Chapel at Three Crowns Park—a Covenant Living Community in Evanston, Illinois. Photo: Gerald Farinas.
The following is from a homily delivered at Three Crowns Park—a Covenant Living Community in Evanston, Ill. to residents on Wednesday, July 2, 2025. It is based on the lectionary reading from Matthew 8:28-34.
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus meets two men who are suffering. They are filled with evil spirits and live in the cemetery—basically homeless and there’s nowhere else to go.
People are afraid of them and stay far away. These men seem forgotten, hopeless—cut off from the world.
But not forgotten by Jesus.
Jesus doesn’t turn away. He walks right up to them. He isn’t afraid. He sees their pain, and He sets them free. The evil spirits leave, and the men are healed.
That’s the message for us today.
No one is too far gone for Jesus.
No one is beyond His mercy and love.
Some of us carry pain. Some of us carry memories that still hurt. Some of us feel forgotten or alone. But just like those two men, we are never too lost for Jesus. He always sees us. He always comes near.
But then the story takes a turn.
After Jesus heals the men, the townspeople come to see what happened.
And instead of being happy, they ask Jesus to go away.
Why?
Maybe they were afraid.
Maybe they didn’t want things to change.
Sometimes, we do the same.
We want Jesus to help us, but we don’t want Him to change too much.
We hold on to anger, guilt, or old habits.
But Jesus wants to heal all of us—even the parts we hide.
So today, let us be like the two men who were healed—open to Jesus, ready for change, thankful for His love.
You are not forgotten. You are not alone. And Jesus is not afraid of your pain.
Let Him come close.
