3/7/2024 (Thursday) Today’s gospel reading: Luke 11:14-23
14 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.
15 Some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.”
16 Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.
17 But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house.
18 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.
19 If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges.
20 But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.
21 When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe.
22 But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armour on which he relied and distributes the spoils.
23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”
3/7/2024 (Thursday) Today’s gospel reflection / sermon / homily: Luke 11:14-23
The gospel passage above invites us to reflect on the nature of true power and the Kingdom of God. Jesus’s actions and words remind us that God’s kingdom is not one of division and strife, but of unity, peace, and the restoration of wholeness. The power Jesus demonstrates is not coercive or oppressive but liberating and life-giving, aiming to free individuals from the bonds of evil and suffering.
However, many people who witnessed the event of Jesus’ casting out the demon did not appreciate the miracle. Instead, they accused Jesus as an instrument of the devil. This gives us a great lesson. In our lives, we may encounter skepticism, misunderstanding, and opposition, much like Jesus did. Yet, this passage encourages us to persevere in doing good, standing firm in our convictions, and relying on the strength that comes from God. It calls us to be agents of peace, unity, and healing in a world often marked by division and discord.
Let us draw inspiration from Jesus’s example, striving to bring light into darkness, to heal wounds of the heart and spirit, and to embody the values of the Kingdom of God in our actions and interactions. In doing so, we affirm that “whoever is not against us is for us,” working together towards a world that reflects God’s love, justice, and mercy.
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