ACE FOR JUNE 24, 2007

Where did Jesus send the Demons who possessed the man from the country of the Gerasenes:

A. Into the graves of the grave yard in which he lived.
B. Into the citizens of the local village.
C. Into a herd of pigs belonging to a local citizen.
D. Into a legion of Roman soldiers.

The answer is C. By sending the demons into the pigs, Jesus put an end to the demonization process in this Gentile city. Some believe that the usual exocism was simply turning the mob against a new victim. By sending the demons into the pigs, the city was temporarily denied a scapegoat for carrying their own demons or sins. Pigs were seen as unclean by Jews, but were a source of income for this Gentile town.

Here is a bonus question submitted by one of our Christ Church members:

What is the name of the person the Bible calls the first murderer?

A. Abel
B. Adam
C. Eve
D. Cain

The answer is D, Cain. Cain was the son of Adam and Eve and the brother of Abel. As it turns out, Abel was the first murder victim according to the Bible. The Bible tells this story of the first husband and wife and their sons as a way of explaining the source of violence and deceit in the world.

BONUS QUESTION: What is the name of the third son born to Adam and Eve after Abel was killed?

A. Cain II
B. Abel II
C. Adam Jr.
D. Seth

The answer to this question will appear in next week's ACE of Hearts.

If you would like to submit a question for ACE, please drop me an e-mail at rwcornner@aol.com or fill out one of the forms at church found at the back of the church and in the parish hall on the kiosk.