First Reading - Jeremiah 7:23-28
Gospel - Luke 11:14-23
In the first reading, the prophet Jeremiah condemns the people of Israel for turning deaf ears to the word of God and rejecting to obey him. Their disobedience to hear God shows their rejection to accept God as their God and their slavery to sin. The disobedience of the people paves the way for the disbelief of the envious scribes and Pharisees in the gospel of the day who turn their deaf ears to the works of God.
In the gospel, when Jesus healed a mute man by exorcism, the envious scribes and the Pharisees spread the malicious slander that Jesus was collaborating with Beelzebul, the head of the devils, to cast out smaller devils. Jesus makes his counterattack first by asking the rhetorical question “By whom do your sons (the Jewish exorcists) cast them out?” The implication is that, if what they say about Him, Who casts them out with a single command, is true, the Jewish exorcists, who require so much more prayer and so many more exercises to do exorcisms, must certainly have to seek the help of the big devil to exorcise minor devils. Then Jesus asserts that no kingdom, divided against itself, can survive for long. Obviously, then the chief devil will not help any exorcists to cast out devils. Jesus then claims that His exorcisms are proof that He has brought the Kingdom of God; when people are liberated from the control of evil spirits, it is a sure sign that the loving power of God (the finger of God), is at work. Then Jesus uses the image of a strong man guarding his house and keeping his possessions safe until someone stronger attacks and overthrows him. Jesus claims that He is the stronger one and the evil spirits are being driven away by Him. They are helpless before him. This liberation of people and society from evil powers is one of the most dramatic proofs that the all-powerful reign of God is present in the Person of Jesus.
Dear friends, Jesus teaches us that the devil is relentless in his struggle against man. The devil continues to lay his traps, in spite of man rejecting him with the help of grace. That is why St. Peter warns us to be sober and vigilant because, “your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your Faith” (1 Peter 5:8-9). We have to fortify ourselves against the devil by prayer, penance, the Sacraments and the effective use of the word of God.
We can be influenced by the evil spirit if we listen to him and follow him. God, in the first reading, tells Jeremiah that people have stubbornly rejected to listen to Him but listened to their own evil inclinations. Consequently, they got trapped by their sins. Hence, we have to keep our souls daily cleansed and be filled with the Spirit of God leaving no space for the evil spirit to enter our souls.
Let's pray that we may be able to guard our soul with the power of Jesus.
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