Gospel: Luke 11:15-26
When Jesus had driven out a demon, some of the crowd 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.
“When an unclean spirit goes out of someone,
it roams through arid regions searching for rest
but, finding none, it says,
‘I shall return to my home from which I came.’
But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order.
Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits
more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there,
and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
The Mass intention is for Monsignor Forde’s Intentions.
Reflection:
We cannot please everyone. Think of our Lord who once was branded as “a glutton and a drunkard” (Luke 7:34) and was accused in today’s Gospel as driving out demons by the power of Beelzebul or Satan. Jesus refuted such absurdity: “if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?” When St John Henry Newman, an Anglican priest, converted to the Catholic Faith, he was rejected by his family, lost most of his friends from the Church of England, and could no longer be a fellow in Oxford. During his ministry as a Catholic priest, he was falsely accused and suspected by churchmen – Catholic and Anglican alike. One bishop even reported him to Rome for teaching heresy. To defend himself from criticisms, St John Henry wrote his entire life story entitled “Apologia pro sua vita” (A Defence of my life). His reason: “give the true key to my whole life; I must show what I am, that it may been seen what I am not, and that the phantom may be extinguished … I wish to be known as a living man, and not as a scarecrow.” His 500-page work earned admiration from people, including his critics. In 1874, Prime Minister William Gladstone criticised Catholics for having no mental freedom due to the teaching of papal infallibility. St John Henry wrote an open letter to him to say that Catholics “do not deserve this injurious reproach that we are captives and slaves of the Pope.” As Christians, we are called to stand up for Jesus and for the faith that He entrusted to us.
- How would you defend yourself when you are falsely accused by others?
- “He (God) knows what He is about. He may take away my friends, He may throw me in among strangers, He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide the future from me – still He knows what He is about.” (St John Henry Newman) How would you react if you had a similar situation?
- “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters,” Jesus said in today’s Gospel. How could you help Jesus in gathering His people together?
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Word today. Through the prayers and example of St John Henry Newman, strengthen us in living, sharing, and defending our faith. Amen.
Sincerely,
Pietro
