Homily on Matthew 8:28–34 : Begging

They Begged Him to Leave: A Powerful Homily on Matthew 8:28–34 with Real-Life Reflections

Praise be to Jesus Christ 

We have all seen people begging. Outside shopping malls, in markets, at train stations, and the poor people beg for food, money, or medicine. Begging shows helplessness. People beg when they know they cannot survive without help. We, too, beg some time in our lives, not always with hands outstretched, but with our hearts. When a child is seriously ill, parents beg for healing. When the crops fail, a farmer begs God for rain.

In today’s Gospel, we see two surprising examples of begging. First, the demons beg Jesus. “If you drive us out, send us into the pigs.” Moreover,  the second begging is even more shocking. After Jesus heals the two possessed men, the townspeople come and beg Jesus to leave. Why? Because the herd of pigs had rushed into the sea. They lost their animals, and maybe their business, and they were upset about their loss.

They did not understand that Jesus could give them far more than pigs.

They saw the loss, but not the blessing. They saw the healing, but feared the Healer. That is the tragedy. Jesus, the Son of God, the one who brings freedom and peace, came into their lives, and they sent Him away.

Sometimes, this happens in our families too. Jesus comes quietly, through prayer, through a good confession, through a call to change. But if that change feels uncomfortable, we resist. We hold on to our “pigs,” whatever gives us comfort, even if it is sinful or harmful. We forget that Jesus can give us something much greater.

In the Old Testament, Esau sold his birth- right for a bowl of stew. He gave up something great for something small. The people in today’s Gospel did the same, they gave up the Lord of life for a herd of pigs.

Let us not repeat their mistake. Let us beg Jesus not to go, but to stay. Let us say, “Lord, stay with us, even if it costs us. Because You are worth more than anything we might lose.”

Let our homes be places that welcome His presence. Because when Jesus stays, He gives not only healing, but Himself.

Jesus Our Lord, stay with Us