The man, however, went away, and began to speak about it publicly, and to spread the story so widely, that Jesus could no longer go openly into a town, but stayed outside in lonely places; and people came to him from every direction.
entering a wilderness
voluntarily or circumstantially
remains an entering
a recognition
not-wilderness is fantasticala voice cries
you have heard it said …
and such a voice
is exileda voice sworn to secrecy
exuberantly blabs thanks
exiles its sourcea baptism without wilderness
is meaninglesswilderness happens
meaning scratches outward
implementing new wildnesssourced from exile
unexpected blessings arise
in what previously was blindredeemed in exile
language views backsides
revealed through invisible robes
no shying from revelationreceive then wilderness
to open your senses
beyond either flight or fight
for no matter how we arrived
we are where we are
Sure enough, if Jesus can say, “Instead….”, so can the one he said it to.
Choice continues. It continues even more in the clean state than in the unclean. Having been brought back within the community the former leper regains what was removed when he was cast out—his agency to choose.
The urgency of Mark with his immediate healings is transferred to the ones healed. There is no way this person can contain what it was that had happened to him.
Reflect for a moment on the difference in experience between the disciples with their oral call and this man whose life has been turned upside-down in a very providential way. The disciples are still learning and this one is off and about preaching loudly about what he experienced with Jesus.
Whatever else needs saying about this close to a dramatic story, it has to be admitted that brings Jesus back to his reason for leaving Capernaum. Though not entering towns, people kept coming and kept coming. There is no honoring of the law, but plenty of honoring healing.