24th of March

Gospel text

(Lk 11:14-23): 

Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute, and when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke and the crowds were amazed. Some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.

But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

The Application

As I read today's readings, I learn three important elements for application. Firstly, I discover that God does not work individually, but in a Trinitarian way, all three persons are at work. As a Christian, we must learn not only to do good, but to do it with our brothers and sisters. Community living is in truth, a witnessing life. 

I would never put God to the test, asking Him for signs to believe, as a conditional. If God gives me a sign, I will be happy. Yet I always ask Him for a sign, but not to believe. If I ask for it, what I need is to discover his will and that by error or manipulation, I do not transform my will, as his. It is important for me, that I see in everything a visible sing of God's presence. The presence of God in me, helps me to identify His works in our midst. 

The third is to believe that God is with us, in us and through us. With God we can do anything, says St. Teresa of Avila. It is important in our thinking, in our words and in our actions that we always remain with the Lord. As Christians, we are called to take a stand for the Lord and against evil. Il we do so, then we will be His people and He will be our God. Through our faithfulness, God will do miracles in our life. 

Action of the day: Be with the Lord.

“If it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you”

Fr. Josep GASSÓ i Lécera

(Ripollet, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, in the proclamation of the Word of God, the figure of the devil appears once more: “He was driving out a demon” (Lk 11:14). Each time the texts speak of the devil, we feel, maybe, slightly uncomfortable. However, it is true evil exists, and it is so deeply rooted we cannot fully remove it. It is also true evil has a very broad scope: it keeps on “digging” and we simply cannot stop it. Yet, Jesus has come to fight these evil forces, to fight the devil; He is the only one who can drive him out.

Jesus has been slandered and accused: the devil is able to achieve everything. While the people were amazed at what Jesus Christ had done, “Some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” (Lk 11:15).

Jesus' response shows the absurdity of the argument from those contradicting him. Besides, this answer means for us a call to unity, to the strength meant by that unity. Disunity is an evil and destructive yeast instead. One of the evil signs is, precisely, division and making us unable to understand each other. Unfortunately, the present world is marked by this type of evil spirit, which prevents our understanding, and recognition of one another.

It will be good for us to ponder over which should be our participation in the task of “driving out the devil”, or keeping him off. Let's wonder: do I contribute with what is needed so that our Lord expels evil from me? “For from the heart come evil thoughts” (Mt 15:19). It is very important the response we can all give, that is, our necessary cooperation at a personal level.

Let's hope the Virgin Mary intercedes before Jesus, her beloved Son, so that He expels any type of evil from the world (wars, terrorism, mistreatment, violence) and from our heart, too. Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church and Queen of Peace, pray for us!